JP6478166B2 - Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, an exposure method, and a device manufacturing method, and more particularly, to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method for exposing a substrate with illumination light via an optical system, and a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus or the exposure method.

  Conventionally, in a lithography process for manufacturing electronic devices (microdevices) such as semiconductor elements (integrated circuits, etc.), liquid crystal display elements, etc., step-and-repeat projection exposure apparatuses (so-called steppers), step-and- A scanning projection exposure apparatus (a so-called scanning stepper (also called a scanner)) or the like is used.

  Substrates such as wafers or glass plates used in this type of exposure apparatus are gradually becoming larger (for example, every 10 years in the case of wafers). Currently, 300 mm wafers with a diameter of 300 mm are the mainstream, but now the era of 450 mm wafers with a diameter of 450 mm is approaching. When shifting to a 450 mm wafer, the number of dies (chips) that can be taken from one wafer is more than twice that of the current 300 mm wafer, contributing to cost reduction. In addition, efficient use of energy, water, and other resources is expected to reduce the use of all resources on a single chip.

  However, since the thickness does not increase in proportion to the size of the wafer, the 450 mm wafer is much weaker than the 300 mm wafer. Therefore, for example, even if one wafer transfer is taken up, it is considered that if the same means method as that of the current 300 mm wafer is adopted as it is, the correspondence will be insufficient. In view of this, the inventor previously proposed a loading method that can be adopted even for a 450 mm wafer, in which an object is held from above by a conveying member in a non-contact manner and carried into a holding device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

  However, when the Bernoulli chuck disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used for non-contact holding of the wafer by subsequent research, even when the current 300 mm wafer is loaded, the positional deviation exceeds the desired range. Turned out to be. Therefore, with a 450 mm wafer, the positional deviation is further increased, and it is expected that subsequent alignment measurement (mark position measurement on the wafer) will be difficult.

  Further, the semiconductor elements are gradually miniaturized, and therefore, high resolution is required for the exposure apparatus. Means for improving the resolution include shortening the wavelength of the exposure light and increasing the numerical aperture of the projection optical system (higher NA). In order to maximize the substantial numerical aperture of the projection optical system, various immersion exposure apparatuses that expose a wafer through the projection optical system and a liquid have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This Patent Document 2 discloses an exposure apparatus and an exposure method therefor mainly intended to perform a wafer alignment (mark detection) operation and a surface position information (focus information) detection operation in a short time. .

  However, when the wafer becomes 450 mm, for example, even if the exposure apparatus and the exposure method according to the conventional example disclosed in Patent Document 2 are adopted as they are, it is expected that the throughput will not be sufficient, and exposure that can further improve the throughput. The appearance of the device was expected.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0297562 US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with illumination light through an optical system, the stage having a holder that holds the substrate, and the substrate in a non-contact manner from the surface side. A support system having a support member capable of supporting, and transporting the substrate to a loading position set apart from the optical system; and at the loading position where the stage is disposed, the support member and the holder are at least A drive device that relatively moves in the vertical direction; and a controller that controls the transport system and the drive device so that the substrate is transported from the transport system to the holder via the support member. is controlled by the controller, the support member by a substrate that is supported in a non-contact contactable held in different parts and its surface and the contact holding It can release the upon loading into the holder of the substrate, further wherein independently exposure apparatus having a vertically movable holding member and the support member is provided.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising: exposing a substrate by the exposure apparatus according to the first aspect; and developing the exposed substrate. Provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure method for exposing a substrate with illumination light through an optical system, wherein a stage having a holder for holding the substrate is set apart from the optical system. The substrate is placed in a position, and the substrate is supported by the support member in a non-contact manner above the stage under the control of the controller, and the contact member is contactless by the support member under the control of the controller. The substrate to be supported is held in contact with a holding member that can move up and down independently of the support member at a portion different from the surface thereof, and after the release of the contact holding by the holding member under the control of the controller , Relative to at least the vertical direction of the support member and the holder so that the substrate supported in a non-contact manner by the support member is transported to the holder. The exposure method comprising the method comprising moving a is provided.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising: exposing a substrate by the exposure method according to the third aspect; and developing the exposed substrate. Provided.

It is a figure which shows schematically the structure of the exposure apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. 2A is a plan view showing wafer stage WST of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a view (front view) of wafer stage WST as seen from the −Y direction. 3A is a view (front view) of the measurement stage MST of FIG. 1 viewed from the −Y direction, FIG. 3B is a view (side view) of the measurement stage MST viewed from the + X direction, and FIG. C) is a plan view showing a measurement stage MST. FIG. 5 is a view showing the arrangement of first to fourth top side encoder systems, alignment systems, multipoint AF systems, and the like provided in the exposure apparatus of FIG. 1 with reference to the projection optical system. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a specific head arrangement of the first to fourth top side encoder systems of FIG. 4. FIG. 6A is a schematic front view showing the chuck unit (viewed from the −Y direction), and FIG. 6B is a schematic plan view of the chuck unit. It is a figure for demonstrating schematic structure of the 1st backside encoder system of FIG. FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing the tip of the measurement arm of the second backside encoder system, and FIG. 8B is a plan view showing the tip of the measurement arm of FIG. 8A. FIG. 9A is a diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of the first backside encoder system of FIG. 1, and FIG. 9B is a perspective view showing a distal end portion of a measurement arm of the second backside encoder system. is there. FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining position measurement in the direction of six degrees of freedom of the fine movement stage WFS and difference measurement of the XYZ grid performed using the first backside encoder system 70A. is there. FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C are diagrams for explaining how to obtain a ΔX map by difference measurement. FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating examples of the ΔY map and the ΔZ map, respectively. FIG. 13A is a diagram showing a state of the position measurement processing of wafer table WTB in parallel by the first top side encoder system and the first back side encoder system, and FIG. 13B shows the switching unit in the first mode. It is a figure shown about an example of the hybrid position signal obtained by the said position measurement when it is set to. FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B are diagrams for explaining the refresh of the coordinate system of the first top side encoder system. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of an unloading apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the input / output relationship of the main controller which mainly comprises the control system of the exposure apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the specific structure of the 1st, 2nd fine movement stage position measurement system of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of 150 A of switching parts of FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram (No. 1) for describing a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST. 20A to 20D are diagrams (part 2) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and the loading procedure on the wafer stage. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 3) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST; FIG. 11 is a diagram (No. 4) for describing the parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST. FIG. 11 is a diagram (No. 5) for explaining the parallel processing operation using the wafer stage WST and the measurement stage MST. FIG. 11 is a diagram (No. 6) for explaining the parallel processing operation using the wafer stage WST and the measurement stage MST. FIG. 14 is a view (No. 7) used to explain a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST; FIGS. 26A to 26D are views (No. 8) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and the next wafer is loaded below the chuck unit. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement. FIG. 10 is a view (No. 9) used to explain a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST; FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 10) for explaining a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and a diagram for explaining a traverse check; FIG. 19 is a view (No. 11) used to explain a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST; FIG. 14 is a view (No. 12) used to explain a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST; It is FIG. (13) for demonstrating the parallel processing operation | movement using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST. FIGS. 32A to 32D are views (No. 14) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and transfer the wafer waiting at the standby position to the wafer. It is a figure for demonstrating the procedure conveyed to the delivery position with a type | system | group. It is FIG. (15) for demonstrating the parallel processing operation | movement using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST. It is FIG. (16) for demonstrating the parallel processing operation | movement using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST. FIG. 17 is a view (No. 17) used to explain a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST; FIGS. 36A to 36D are views (No. 18) for explaining a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and unloading the exposed wafer from the wafer stage. It is a figure for demonstrating the procedure to perform. It is FIG. (19) for demonstrating the parallel processing operation | movement using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST. 38A to 38E are diagrams (No. 20) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and wafers from unloading position to standby position 2 are shown. It is a figure for demonstrating a conveyance procedure. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification by which the measurement system which measures the position of the measurement table which consists of an encoder system is used instead of the measurement stage position measurement system which consists of an interferometer system.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of an exposure apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. The exposure apparatus 100 is a step-and-scan projection exposure apparatus, a so-called scanner. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, a projection optical system PL is provided. In the following, a direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL is a Z-axis direction (Z direction), and is orthogonal thereto. The direction in which the reticle and wafer are relatively scanned in the plane is the Y-axis direction (Y direction), and the direction orthogonal to the Z-axis and Y-axis is the X-axis direction (X direction). The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis The description will be made assuming that the rotation (inclination) directions are the θx, θy, and θz directions, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 100 includes an exposure unit 200 disposed near the + Y side end on the base board 12 and a measurement unit 300 disposed near the −Y side end on the base board 12. And a wafer stage WST and a measurement stage MST that move two-dimensionally in the XY plane independently on the base board 12, and a control system thereof. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals as those of the exposure unit and the measurement unit are used as terms indicating the locations of the exposure unit 200 and the measurement unit 300, and the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300 are referred to.

  The base board 12 is supported substantially horizontally (parallel to the XY plane) on the floor surface by a vibration isolation mechanism (not shown). The base board 12 is made of a member having a flat outer shape. In FIG. 1, wafer stage WST is positioned at exposure station 200, and wafer W is held on wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB, which will be described in detail later). In addition, the measurement stage MST is located in the exposure station 200 or in the vicinity thereof. The measurement stage MST is a predetermined position (retracted position or position) away from the projection optical system PL so as not to contact the wafer stage WST moved below the projection optical system PL during the exposure operation of the wafer W using the wafer stage WST. (Standby position). Prior to the end of the exposure operation of wafer W, measurement stage MST is relatively moved so as to approach wafer stage WST moved below projection optical system PL, and at the end of the exposure operation at the latest, Wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST are positioned close to (or in contact with) each other. Further, wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST that are close to each other are moved with respect to projection optical system PL, and measurement stage MST is arranged to face projection optical system PL instead of wafer stage WST. The relative movement for positioning wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST close may be performed at least partially after the exposure operation of wafer W.

  The exposure unit 200 includes an illumination system 10, a reticle stage RST, a projection unit PU, a local liquid immersion device 8, and the like.

  The illumination system 10 includes a light source, an illuminance uniformizing optical system including an optical integrator, a reticle blind, and the like (both not shown) as disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0025890. And an illumination optical system. The illumination system 10 illuminates a slit-shaped illumination area IAR on the reticle R set (limited) with a reticle blind (also called a masking system) with illumination light (exposure light) IL with substantially uniform illuminance. Here, as an example of the illumination light IL, ArF excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm) is used.

  On reticle stage RST, reticle R having a circuit pattern or the like formed on its pattern surface (lower surface in FIG. 1) is fixed, for example, by vacuum suction. The reticle stage RST can be finely driven in the XY plane by a reticle stage drive system 11 (not shown in FIG. 1, refer to FIG. 16) including, for example, a linear motor, and the scanning direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1). In the Y-axis direction) at a predetermined scanning speed.

  Position information of the reticle stage RST in the XY plane (including rotation information in the θz direction) is transferred by a reticle laser interferometer (hereinafter referred to as “reticle interferometer”) 13 to a movable mirror 15 (actually fixed to the reticle stage RST). Is provided with a Y moving mirror (or a retroreflector) having a reflecting surface orthogonal to the Y-axis direction and an X moving mirror having a reflecting surface orthogonal to the X-axis direction), for example. It is always detected with a resolution of about 25 nm. The measurement value of reticle interferometer 13 is sent to main controller 20 (not shown in FIG. 1, refer to FIG. 16). Instead of the reticle interferometer 13, the position information of the reticle stage RST may be measured using an encoder system disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 7,839,485. In this case, one of the grating member (scale plate or grid plate) on which the grating is formed and the encoder head may be provided on the lower surface side of the reticle stage RST, and the other may be disposed below the reticle stage RST. One of the grating portion and the encoder head may be provided on the upper surface side of the reticle stage RST, and the other may be disposed above the reticle stage RST. In addition, reticle stage RST may have a coarse / fine movement structure as in wafer stage WST described later.

  Projection unit PU is arranged below reticle stage RST in FIG. The projection unit PU is supported by a main frame (metrology frame) BD supported horizontally by a support member (not shown) via a flange portion FLG provided on the outer periphery thereof. The main frame BD constitutes at least a part of the illumination optical system and a part of the main body frame of the exposure apparatus 100 on which the reticle stage RST is mounted. In the present embodiment, each of the main frames BD is provided with an installation surface (for example, an anti-vibration mechanism). , A floor surface, etc.) are supported by a plurality of (for example, three or four) support members (not shown). A base board 12 and the like which will be described later are also arranged on the installation surface. Further, the vibration isolation mechanism may be disposed between each support member and the main frame BD. Further, as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2006/038952, the projection unit PU may be supported by being suspended from a part of the main body frame disposed above the projection unit PU.

  The projection unit PU includes a lens barrel 40 and a projection optical system PL held in the lens barrel 40. As the projection optical system PL, for example, a refractive optical system including a plurality of optical elements (lens elements) arranged along an optical axis AX parallel to the Z axis is used. The projection optical system PL is, for example, both-side telecentric and has a predetermined projection magnification (for example, 1/4 times, 1/5 times, or 1/8 times). For this reason, when the illumination area IAR on the reticle R is illuminated by the illumination light IL from the illumination system 10, the reticle R in which the first surface (object surface) of the projection optical system PL and the pattern surface are substantially coincided with each other is arranged. With the illumination light IL that has passed through the projection optical system PL (projection unit PU), a reduced image of the circuit pattern of the reticle R in the illumination area IAR (a reduced image of a part of the circuit pattern) is projected through the projection optical system PL (projection unit PU). Is formed in a region (hereinafter also referred to as an exposure region) IA that is conjugated to the illumination region IAR on the wafer W, which is disposed on the second surface (image surface) side of the wafer W, the surface of which is coated with a resist (sensitive agent). . Then, the reticle R is moved in the scanning direction (Y-axis) with respect to the illumination area IAR (illumination light IL) by synchronous driving of the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WST (more precisely, a fine movement stage WFS which holds the wafer W, which will be described later). And moving the wafer W relative to the exposure area IA (illumination light IL) in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction) to scan one shot area (partition area) on the wafer W. Exposure is performed, and the pattern of the reticle R is transferred to the shot area. That is, in the present embodiment, the pattern of the reticle R is generated on the wafer W by the illumination system 10 and the projection optical system PL, and the sensitive layer (resist layer) on the wafer W is exposed on the wafer W by the illumination light IL. A pattern is formed.

  The local liquid immersion device 8 is provided corresponding to the exposure apparatus 100 performing liquid immersion exposure. The local liquid immersion device 8 includes a liquid supply device 5, a liquid recovery device 6 (both not shown in FIG. 1, refer to FIG. 16), a nozzle unit 32, and the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle unit 32 is an optical element on the most image plane side (wafer W side) constituting the projection optical system PL, here a lens (also referred to as “tip lens” or “final lens”) 191. Is suspended and supported by a main frame BD that supports the projection unit PU and the like via a support member (not shown) so as to surround the lower end portion of the lens barrel 40 that holds the lens. The nozzle unit 32 includes a supply port and a recovery port for the liquid Lq, a lower surface on which the wafer W is disposed and the recovery port is provided, a liquid supply tube 31A and a liquid recovery tube 31B (both not shown in FIG. 1). , See FIG. 4) and a supply channel and a recovery channel respectively connected. The other end of a supply pipe (not shown) whose one end is connected to the liquid supply device 5 (not shown in FIG. 1, see FIG. 16) is connected to the liquid supply pipe 31A. The other end of a recovery pipe (not shown) whose one end is connected to the liquid recovery device 6 (not shown in FIG. 1, see FIG. 16) is connected. The nozzle unit 32 has a supply channel and a recovery channel therein, and the liquid supply pipe 31A and the liquid recovery pipe 31B are respectively connected to the supply port and the recovery port via the supply channel and the recovery channel. Connected. Further, the nozzle unit 32 has an opening on the lower surface thereof through which the illumination light IL emitted from the projection optical system PL passes, and the recovery port is disposed around the opening. In the present embodiment, a supply port is provided on the inner side surface of the nozzle unit 32 that surrounds the tip lens. However, on the lower surface side of the nozzle unit 32, the supply port is provided on the inner side of the recovery port and different from the supply port. A supply port may be provided.

  In the present embodiment, the main controller 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 (see FIG. 16) to supply liquid between the tip lens 191 and the wafer W via the liquid supply pipe 31A and the nozzle unit 32. Then, the liquid recovery apparatus 6 (see FIG. 16) is controlled to recover the liquid from between the front lens 191 and the wafer W via the nozzle unit 32 and the liquid recovery pipe 31B. At this time, the main controller 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 so that the amount of supplied liquid and the amount of recovered liquid are always equal. Therefore, a fixed amount of liquid Lq (see FIG. 1) is always exchanged and held between the front lens 191 and the wafer W. The local immersion apparatus 8 forms an immersion area under the projection optical system PL by the liquid Lq supplied through the nozzle unit 32, collects the liquid from the immersion area through the nozzle unit 32, and performs wafer processing. The liquid Lq is held only in a part of W, that is, the liquid Lq is placed in a local area smaller than the upper surface of the wafer stage WST (fine movement stage WFS) arranged opposite to the projection optical system PL, and hence the surface of the wafer W. It is possible to confine and form an immersion region. For this reason, the nozzle unit 32 can also be called a liquid immersion member, a liquid immersion space forming member, a liquid confinement member, or a liquid containment member. In the present embodiment, pure water that transmits ArF excimer laser light (light having a wavelength of 193 nm) is used as the liquid. Note that the refractive index n of pure water with respect to ArF excimer laser light is approximately 1.44. In pure water, the wavelength of the illumination light IL is shortened to 193 nm × 1 / n = about 134 nm.

  In this embodiment, the nozzle unit 32 is suspended and supported on the main frame BD. However, the nozzle unit is attached to a frame member different from the main frame BD, for example, the frame member arranged on the installation surface separately from the main frame BD. 32 may be provided. Thereby, the vibration transmitted from the nozzle unit 32 to the projection optical system PL can be suppressed or prevented. Further, a part of the nozzle unit 32 that is in contact with the liquid Lq (interface of the immersion area) on the lower surface side of the nozzle unit 32 is movable, and the relative speed between the wafer stage WST and the nozzle unit 32 is changed when the wafer stage WST is moved. You may move a part of nozzle unit 32 so that it may become small. Thereby, it is possible to suppress or prevent liquid from remaining on the upper surface of wafer stage WST or the surface of wafer W due to separation of a part of liquid Lq from the immersion area, particularly during the exposure operation of wafer W. In this case, a part of the nozzle unit 32 may always be moved during the movement of the wafer stage WST, but a part of the nozzle unit 32 is moved only by a part of the exposure operation, for example, the stepping operation of the wafer stage WST. It is also good. Further, a part of the nozzle unit 32 may be, for example, a movable unit having a recovery port and at least a part of the lower surface, or a plate having a lower surface that can move relative to the nozzle unit 32 and is in contact with the liquid.

  In addition, the exposure unit 200 includes a first backside encoder system 70A having a measurement arm 71A supported in a substantially cantilever state from the main frame BD via a support member 72A (supported in the vicinity of one end), and a later-described encoder. And a first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A including a first top side encoder system 80A (not shown in FIG. 1, refer to FIG. 16 and the like). However, the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A will be described after the description of the fine movement stage, which will be described later, for convenience of description.

  The measurement unit 300 includes an alignment device 99 provided on the main frame BD, and a multipoint focal position detection system (hereinafter abbreviated as a multipoint AF system) provided on the main frame BD (90a, 90b) (FIG. 1). And a second backside encoder system 70B having a measurement arm 71B supported in a cantilever state (supported in the vicinity of one end) from the main frame BD via a support member 72B. And a second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B including a second top side encoder system 80B (not shown in FIG. 1, refer to FIG. 16 and the like) described later. Further, a chuck unit 120 is provided in the vicinity of the alignment device 99 as shown in FIG. The second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B will be described after the description of the fine movement stage described later for convenience of description. The alignment device 99 is also called an alignment detection system or a mark detection system.

Alignment device 99 includes five alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ AL24 ₄ shown in FIG. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, it passes through the center of the projection unit PU (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, which also coincides with the center of the exposure area IA in the present embodiment) and the Y axis. The primary alignment system AL1 is arranged in a state where the detection center is located at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the optical axis AX to the -Y side on a parallel straight line (hereinafter referred to as a reference axis) LV. Secondary alignment systems AL2 ₁ , AL2 ₂ , AL2 ₃ , AL2 _{4 in} which detection centers are arranged almost symmetrically with respect to the reference axis LV are disposed on one side and the other side of the X-axis direction across the primary alignment system AL1. Each is provided. That is, the detection centers of the five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ are arranged along the X-axis direction. As each of the five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ , for example, the target mark is irradiated with a broadband detection light beam that does not expose the resist on the wafer, and the reflected light from the target mark forms an image on the light receiving surface. The image of the target mark and the image of the index (not shown) (the index pattern on the index plate provided in each alignment system) are captured using an image sensor (CCD etc.), and the image signals are output. A processing method FIA (Field Image Alignment) system is used. Imaging signals from the five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ are supplied to the main controller 20 (see FIG. 16). The detailed configuration of the alignment apparatus 99 is disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0233234. In addition, each of alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ is not limited to an imaging method, and for example, a method of irradiating an alignment mark (diffraction grating) with coherent measurement light and detecting diffracted light generated from the mark. Etc.

As the multipoint AF system, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an oblique incidence type multipoint AF system including a light transmission system 90a and a light reception system 90b is provided. A configuration similar to that of the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) is disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 5,448,332. In the present embodiment, as an example, the light transmission system 90a and the light receiving system 90b are located at the same distance on the + Y side of a straight line (reference axis) LA parallel to the X axis passing through the detection center of the primary alignment system AL1. They are arranged symmetrically with respect to the reference axis LV. The distance in the X-axis direction between the light transmission system 90a and the light receiving system 90b is set wider than the distance between a pair of scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ (see FIG. 2A) provided on a wafer table WTB described later. Yes.

A plurality of detection points of the multi-point AF system (90a, 90b) are arranged at predetermined intervals along the X-axis direction on the surface to be measured. In the present embodiment, for example, they are arranged in a row matrix of 1 row and M columns (M is the total number of detection points) or 2 rows and N columns (N is 1/2 of the total number of detection points). In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a plurality of detection points irradiated with detection beams are not shown individually, but are shown as elongated detection areas AF extending in the X-axis direction between the light transmission system 90a and the light reception system 90b. Yes. Since this detection area AF has a length in the X-axis direction that is set to be approximately the same as the diameter of the wafer W, the wafer W is scanned almost once in the Y-axis direction, so that the entire surface of the wafer W can be moved in the Z-axis direction. Position information (surface position information) can be measured. The detection area AF is arranged between the projection optical system PL (exposure area IA) and the detection areas of the alignment systems (AL1, AL2 ₁ , AL2 ₂ , AL2 ₃ , AL2 ₄ ) with respect to the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the multipoint AF system and the alignment system can perform detection operations in parallel.

  In addition, although the some detection point shall be arrange | positioned by 1 row M column or 2 rows N columns, the number of rows and / or the number of columns is not restricted to this. However, when the number of rows is two or more, it is preferable that the positions of the detection points in the X-axis direction are different between different rows. Furthermore, although the plurality of detection points are arranged along the X-axis direction, the present invention is not limited to this, and all or some of the plurality of detection points may be arranged at different positions in the Y-axis direction. For example, a plurality of detection points may be arranged along a direction intersecting both the X axis and the Y axis. That is, it is only necessary that the plurality of detection points have different positions at least in the X-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the detection beam is irradiated to a plurality of detection points. However, for example, the detection beam may be irradiated to the entire detection area AF. Further, the length of the detection area AF in the X-axis direction may not be the same as the diameter of the wafer W.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2B and the like, wafer stage WST is not connected to coarse movement stage WCS via coarse movement stage WCS and an actuator (for example, including at least one of a voice coil motor and an EI core). A fine movement stage WFS that is supported in a contact state and is movable relative to the coarse movement stage WCS. Although not shown, the coarse carrier stage WCS has a tube carrier arranged on a guide surface provided separately on the + X side (or -X side) of the base board 12, and piping and wiring are integrated. Are connected via a tube. The tube carrier supplies, for example, power (current), refrigerant, compressed air, vacuum, and other utilities to the coarse movement stage WCS via the tube. Further, a part of the utility (for example, vacuum) supplied to coarse movement stage WCS is supplied to fine movement stage WFS. The tube carrier is driven in the Y-axis direction by the main controller 20 following the wafer stage WST, for example, via a linear motor or the like. The driving of the tube carrier in the Y-axis direction does not need to strictly follow the driving of wafer stage WST in the Y-axis direction, and may follow the certain tolerance. Further, the tube carrier may be disposed on the base board 12, and in this case, the tube carrier can be driven by a flat motor described later that drives the coarse movement stage WCS. The tube carrier can also be called a cable carrier or a follower. Wafer stage WST does not necessarily have a coarse / fine movement structure.

  Wafer stage WST (coarse movement stage WCS) is driven with a predetermined stroke in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and finely driven in the θz direction by coarse movement stage drive system 51A (see FIG. 16) including a planar motor described later. The Further, fine movement stage WFS has a direction of 6 degrees of freedom (X axis, Y axis, Z axis, θx, θy, and θz) with respect to coarse movement stage WCS by fine movement stage drive system 52A (see FIG. 16) including the actuator described above. Driven in each direction). Note that coarse movement stage WCS may be driven in the direction of six degrees of freedom by a planar motor described later.

  Position information (including rotation information in the θz direction) of wafer stage WST (coarse movement stage WCS) at least in the XY plane is measured by wafer stage position measurement system 16A (see FIGS. 1 and 16) including an interferometer system. The Further, position information in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom of fine movement stage WFS supported by coarse movement stage WCS in exposure station 200 is measured by first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A (see FIG. 1). The wafer stage position measurement system 16A need not be provided. In this case, only the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A needs to measure the position information of wafer stage WST in exposure station 200 in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction.

  Further, when the coarse movement stage WCS is in the measurement station 300, the position information of the fine movement stage WFS supported by the coarse movement stage WCS in the direction of six degrees of freedom is measured by the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B (see FIG. 1). The

  In addition, when performing focus mapping, which will be described later, in the measurement station 300, position information of the fine movement stage WFS is also obtained by a third back side encoder system 70C and a third top side encoder system 80C (see FIG. 16) which will be described later. Is measured. In this embodiment, since the position in the Y direction differs between the detection center of the alignment apparatus 99 and the detection point of the multipoint AF system as described above, the third backside encoder system is separate from the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. 70C and a third top side encoder system 80C are provided. For this reason, in mark detection of wafer W or the like by alignment apparatus 99, position information of wafer stage WST is measured at substantially the same position as the detection center of alignment apparatus 99 at least in the Y direction by second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. In addition, in the measurement of the position information in the Z direction of the wafer W or the like by the multipoint AF system, the multipoint AF system is detected at least in the Y direction by the third backside encoder system 70C and the third topside encoder system 80C. The position information of wafer stage WST can be measured at substantially the same position as the point.

  When the detection center of the alignment device 99 and the detection point of the multipoint AF system have substantially the same position in the Y direction, or the interval in the Y direction is small, the third backside encoder system 70C and the third The top side encoder system 80C may not be provided. In this case, the position information of wafer stage WST may be measured using second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B even in the multipoint AF measurement operation. Even if the detection center of the alignment device 99 and the detection point of the multi-point AF system are different in the Y direction, the third backside encoder system 70C and the third topside encoder system 80C are not provided, and the second fine movement is performed. When only the stage position measurement system 110B is used, the second position is measured so that the position information of the wafer stage WST is measured between the detection center of the alignment apparatus 99 and the detection point of the multipoint AF system in the Y direction, for example, at the center. Fine movement stage position measurement system 110B may be arranged.

  Further, the positional information of the fine movement stage WFS between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300, that is, between the measurement ranges of the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A and the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B is the fourth top described later. It is measured by the side encoder system 80D (see FIG. 16). It should be noted that the measurement apparatus that measures the position information of wafer stage WST within the range where measurement of position information of wafer stage WST by first and second fine movement stage position measurement systems 110A and 110B is impossible, that is, outside the measurement range described above. Is not limited to the fourth top side encoder system 80D, and other measuring devices such as an interferometer system or an encoder system whose detection method and / or configuration are different from those of the fourth top side encoder system 80D may be used. .

  Further, position information of the measurement stage MST in the XY plane is measured by a measurement stage position measurement system 16B (see FIGS. 1 and 16) including an interferometer system. Note that the measurement apparatus for measuring the position information of the measurement stage MST is not limited to the interferometer system, and other measurement apparatuses such as an encoder system (including a fifth top side encoder system described later) may be used. good.

  The measurement values (position information) of wafer stage position measurement system 16A, measurement stage position measurement system 16B, and fourth top side encoder system 80D are for position control of coarse movement stage WCS, measurement stage MST, and fine movement stage WFS, respectively. Is supplied to the main controller 20 (see FIG. 16). The measurement results of the first and second fine movement stage position measurement systems 110A and 110B and the third backside encoder system 70C and the third topside encoder system 80C are the coarse movement stage WCS, the measurement stage MST, and the fine movement stage WFS. Are supplied to the main controller 20 via switching units 150A to 150C described later (see FIG. 16).

  Here, the configuration of the stage system including the above various measurement systems will be described in detail. First, wafer stage WST will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the coarse movement stage WCS includes a coarse movement slider portion 91, a pair of side wall portions 92a and 92b, and a pair of stator portions 93a and 93b. The coarse slider 91 is made of a rectangular plate-like member whose length in the X-axis direction is slightly longer than the length in the Y-axis direction when viewed in plan (from the + Z direction). Each of the pair of side wall portions 92a and 92b is made of a rectangular plate-like member having the longitudinal direction in the Y-axis direction, and is parallel to the YZ plane on the upper surfaces of one end portion and the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the coarse slider portion 91. Each is fixed in state. The pair of stator portions 93a and 93b are fixed inward toward the center in the Y-axis direction on the upper surfaces of the side wall portions 92a and 92b. As a whole, coarse movement stage WCS has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a low height in which the X-axis direction central portion of the upper surface and both side surfaces in the Y-axis direction are open. That is, the coarse movement stage WCS is formed with a space portion penetrating in the Y-axis direction. Measurement arms 71A and 71B are inserted into this space portion at the time of exposure and alignment described later. The side wall portions 92a and 92b may have substantially the same length in the Y-axis direction as the stator portions 93a and 93b. That is, the side wall portions 92a and 92b may be provided only in the central portion in the Y-axis direction of the upper surface of one end portion and the other end portion of the coarse movement slider portion 91. Coarse movement stage WCS only needs to be movable while supporting fine movement stage WFS, and can be called a main body of wafer stage WST, a movable body, a movable body, or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a coil unit including a plurality of coils 17 arranged in a matrix with the XY two-dimensional direction as the row direction and the column direction is accommodated inside the base board 12. The base board 12 is disposed below the projection optical system PL so that the surface thereof is substantially parallel to the XY plane.

  Corresponding to the coil unit, the bottom surface of the coarse motion stage WCS, that is, the bottom surface of the coarse motion slider portion 91 is arranged in a matrix with the XY two-dimensional direction as the row direction and the column direction as shown in FIG. A magnet unit comprising a plurality of arranged permanent magnets 18 is provided. The magnet unit, together with the coil unit of the base board 12, is a coarse stage drive system 51A (see FIG. 16) composed of an electromagnetic force (Lorentz force) driven planar motor disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 5,196,745. ). The magnitude and direction of the current supplied to each coil 17 constituting the coil unit is controlled by the main controller 20.

  A plurality of air bearings 94 are fixed to the bottom surface of the coarse slider 91 around the magnet unit. The coarse movement stage WCS is levitated and supported above the base board 12 by a plurality of air bearings 94 through a predetermined gap (clearance, gap), for example, a gap of about several μm, and the coarse movement stage drive system 51A Driven in the axial direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θz direction.

  The coarse stage driving system 51A is not limited to a planar motor driven by an electromagnetic force (Lorentz force), but may be a planar motor driven by a variable magnetoresistive drive, for example. In addition, the coarse movement stage drive system 51A may be configured by a magnetic levitation type planar motor so that the coarse movement stage WCS can be driven in the direction of six degrees of freedom by the planar motor. In this case, it is not necessary to provide an air bearing on the bottom surface of the coarse slider 91.

  Each of the pair of stator portions 93a and 93b is formed of a plate-shaped member, and coil units CUa and CUb each including a plurality of coils for driving the fine movement stage WFS are accommodated therein. The main controller 20 controls the magnitude and direction of the current supplied to the coils constituting the coil units CUa and CUb.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, fine movement stage WFS includes a main body 81, a pair of mover portions 82a and 82b fixed to one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of main body 81, and a main body. And a wafer table WTB made of a plate member having a rectangular shape in plan view fixed integrally to the upper surface of the portion 81.

  The main body 81 is made of an octagonal plate-like member having the X-axis direction as a longitudinal direction in plan view. On the lower surface of the main body 81, a scale plate 83 made of a predetermined shape having a predetermined thickness, for example, an octagonal plate-like member that is rectangular or slightly larger in plan view than the main body 81 is horizontally (parallel to the surface of the wafer W). Arranged and fixed. A two-dimensional grating (hereinafter simply referred to as a grating) RG is provided in an area at least slightly larger than the wafer W on the lower surface of the scale plate 83. The grating RG includes a reflective diffraction grating (X diffraction grating) whose periodic direction is the X-axis direction and a reflective diffraction grating (Y diffraction grating) whose periodic direction is the Y-axis direction. The pitch of the grating lines of the X diffraction grating and the Y diffraction grating is set to 1 μm, for example.

  The main body 81 and the scale plate 83 are preferably formed of a material having the same or similar thermal expansion coefficient, for example, and the material preferably has a low thermal expansion coefficient. Further, the surface of the grating RG may be protected by being covered with a protective member, for example, a transparent material capable of transmitting light and covered with a cover glass having a low coefficient of thermal expansion. In addition, as long as the grating RG is periodically arranged with respect to two different directions, the configuration thereof may be arbitrary, and the periodic direction may not coincide with the X and Y directions. For example, the periodic directions are X and Y. You may rotate 45 degree | times with respect to a direction.

  In the present embodiment, fine movement stage WFS has main body 81 and wafer table WTB. However, for example, wafer table WTB may be driven by the aforementioned actuator without providing main body 81. Fine movement stage WFS only needs to have a mounting area for wafer W on a part of its upper surface, and can be referred to as a holding part, a table, or a movable part of wafer stage WST.

  The pair of mover portions 82a and 82b has a housing having a rectangular frame shape in the YZ section fixed to one end surface and the other end surface of the main body portion 81 in the X-axis direction. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, these casings are referred to as casings 82a and 82b using the same reference numerals as the movable elements 82a and 82b.

The casing 82a has a space (opening) in which the YZ cross section is elongated in the Y axis direction, both of which are Y dimension in the Y axis direction (length) and Z dimension in the Z axis direction (height) that is somewhat larger than the stator part 93a. Have. The end portion on the −X side of the stator portion 93a of the coarse movement stage WCS is inserted into the space of the housing 82a in a non-contact manner. Magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ are provided inside the upper wall portion 82a ₁ and the bottom wall portion 82a ₂ of the housing 82a.

The mover part 82b is configured in the same manner as the mover part 82a, although it is bilaterally symmetric. The + X side end of the stator portion 93b of the coarse movement stage WCS is inserted in a non-contact manner into the space of the housing (movable portion) 82b. Magnet units MUb ₁ and MUb ₂ configured similarly to the magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ are provided inside the upper wall portion 82b ₁ and the bottom wall portion 82b ₂ of the housing 82b.

The coil units CUa and CUb described above are accommodated in the stator portions 93a and 93b so as to correspond to the magnet units MUa ₁ , MUa ₂ and MUb ₁ , MUb ₂ , respectively.

The configurations of the magnet units MUa ₁ , MUa ₂ and MUb ₁ , MUb ₂ , and coil units CUa, CUb are described in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073652 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073653. It is disclosed in detail.

In the present embodiment, the pair of magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ included in the mover unit 82a and the coil unit CUa included in the stator unit 93a, and the pair of magnet units MUb ₁ and MUb ₂ included in the mover unit 82b. Coil unit CUb included in stator portion 93b, and fine movement stage WFS as coarse movement stage as in the above-mentioned US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073652 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073653. A fine movement stage drive system 52A (see FIG. 16) that floats and supports the WCS in a non-contact state and drives in a direction of 6 degrees of freedom without contact is formed.

  When a magnetic levitation type planar motor is used as the coarse movement stage drive system 51A (see FIG. 16), the fine movement stage WFS is integrated with the coarse movement stage WCS by the planar motor in each direction of the Z axis, θx, and θy. Therefore, the fine movement stage drive system 52A may be configured to be able to drive the fine movement stage WFS in each of the X axis, Y axis, and θz directions, that is, in the direction of three degrees of freedom in the XY plane. In addition, for example, each of the pair of side wall portions 92a and 92b of the coarse movement stage WCS is provided with a pair of electromagnets facing the octagonal oblique side of the fine movement stage WFS, and the fine movement stage WFS is opposed to each electromagnet. A magnetic body member may be provided. In this way, since the fine movement stage WFS can be driven in the XY plane by the magnetic force of the electromagnet, a pair of Y-axis linear motors may be configured by the mover portions 82a and 82b and the stator portions 93a and 93b. .

  At the center of the upper surface of wafer table WTB, a wafer holder (not shown) for holding wafer W by vacuum suction or the like is provided. The wafer holder may be formed integrally with wafer table WTB, or may be fixed to wafer table WTB via, for example, an electrostatic chuck mechanism or a clamp mechanism, or by adhesion. Here, although not shown in FIG. 2B and the like, the main body 81 has a plurality of, for example, three vertical movements that can be moved up and down through holes provided in the wafer table WTB and the wafer holder. Pins 140 (see FIG. 6A) are provided. The three vertical movement pins 140 move up and down between a first position where the upper end surface is located above the upper surface of the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) and a second position located below the upper surface of the wafer holder (wafer table WTB). It is possible to move. The three vertical movement pins 140 are driven by the main controller 20 via the driving device 142 (see FIG. 16).

As shown in FIG. 2A, a circular opening that is slightly larger than the wafer holder is formed in the center outside the wafer holder (wafer mounting area) on the upper surface of wafer table WTB, and has a rectangular outer shape. A plate (liquid repellent plate) 28 having a (contour) is provided. The plate 28 is made of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, such as glass or ceramics (for example, Zerodure (trade name), Al ₂ O _3, TiC, or the like of Schott), and the surface thereof is subjected to a liquid repellency treatment with respect to the liquid Lq. ing. Specifically, the liquid repellent film is formed of, for example, a fluorine resin material, a fluorine resin material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon (registered trademark)), an acrylic resin material, or a silicon resin material. The plate 28 is fixed to the upper surface of the wafer table WTB so that the entire surface (or part) of the plate 28 is substantially flush with the surface of the wafer W.

  The plate 28 is located at the center of the wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction, and has a first liquid repellent region 28a having a rectangular outer shape (contour) in which the above-described circular opening is formed at the center, and the first liquid repellent area. The wafer table WTB has a pair of rectangular second liquid repellent regions 28b located at the + X side end and the −X side end of the wafer table WTB across the region 28a in the X-axis direction. In the present embodiment, since water is used as the liquid Lq as described above, the first liquid repellent region 28a and the second liquid repellent region 28b are also referred to as a first water repellent plate 28a and a second water repellent plate 28b, respectively. .

  A measurement plate 30 is provided in the vicinity of the + Y side end of the first water repellent plate 28a. The measurement plate 30 is provided with a reference mark FM at the center, and a pair of aerial image measurement slit patterns (slit-like measurement patterns) SL so as to sandwich the reference mark FM. Corresponding to each aerial image measurement slit pattern SL, there is provided a light transmission system (not shown) for guiding the illumination light IL passing therethrough to the outside of wafer stage WST (a light receiving system provided in measurement stage MST described later). It has been. For example, the measurement plate 30 is disposed in an opening of the plate 28 different from the opening in which the wafer holder is disposed, and the gap between the measurement plate 30 and the plate 28 is a sealing member so that liquid does not flow into the wafer table WTB. It is blocked by. Measurement plate 30 is provided on wafer table WTB so that the surface thereof is substantially flush with the surface of plate 28. In addition, at least one opening (light transmission part) different from the slit pattern SL is formed in the measurement plate 30, and the illumination light IL transmitted through the opening through the projection optical system PL and the liquid is detected by a sensor, For example, the optical characteristics (including wavefront aberration and the like) of the projection optical system PL and / or the characteristics of the illumination light IL (including the light amount and the illuminance distribution in the exposure area IA described above) may be measurable.

Scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ for the first to fourth top side encoder systems 80A to 80D are formed on the pair of second water repellent plates 28b, respectively. Specifically, each of the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ is constituted by a reflective two-dimensional diffraction grating in which, for example, a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction and a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the X-axis direction are combined. Has been. The pitch of the lattice lines of the two-dimensional diffraction grating is set to 1 μm, for example, in both the Y-axis direction and the X-axis direction. Further, since the pair of second water repellent plates 28b have scales (two-dimensional lattices) 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ , they are called lattice members, scale plates, grid plates, etc. In this embodiment, for example, low thermal expansion A two-dimensional lattice is formed on the surface of the glass plate, and a liquid repellent film is formed so as to cover the two-dimensional lattice. In FIG. 2A, for the convenience of illustration, the pitch of the grating is shown larger than the actual pitch. The same applies to the other drawings. In addition, as long as the two-dimensional lattice is periodically arranged in two different directions, the configuration thereof may be arbitrary, and the periodic direction may not coincide with the X and Y directions. For example, the periodic direction is X, You may rotate 45 degree | times with respect to a Y direction.

  In order to protect the diffraction grating of the pair of second water repellent plates 28b, it is also effective to cover with a glass plate having a low coefficient of thermal expansion having water repellency. Here, as the glass plate, a glass plate having the same thickness as the wafer, for example, a thickness of 1 mm can be used. As an example, the surface of the glass plate is substantially the same height (same surface as the wafer surface). ) To be placed on the upper surface of wafer table WTB. In addition, when the pair of second water repellent plates 28b are arranged away from the wafer W so as not to contact the liquid in the liquid immersion area at least during the exposure operation of the wafer W, the pair of second water repellent plates 28b is The surface may not be liquid repellent. That is, each of the pair of second water repellent plates 28b may be a simple lattice member on which a scale (two-dimensional lattice) is formed.

In this embodiment, the plate 28 is provided on the wafer table WTB. However, the plate 28 may not be provided. In this case, a recess in which the wafer holder is disposed is provided on the upper surface of wafer table WTB. For example, the above-described pair of lattice members whose surfaces are not liquid-repellent are disposed on wafer table WTB with the recess in the X direction. It ’s fine. As described above, the pair of lattice members may be arranged so as to be away from the recesses so as not to contact the liquid in the liquid immersion region. Further, the recess may be formed so that the surface of wafer W held by the wafer holder in the recess is substantially flush with the upper surface of wafer table WTB. All or a part of the upper surface of wafer table WTB (including at least the surrounding area surrounding the recess) may be liquid repellent. Further, when the pair of lattice members on which the scales (two-dimensional lattices) 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ are formed are arranged close to the recesses, the pair of first members described above is used instead of the pair of lattice members whose surfaces are not liquid repellent. Two water-repellent plates 28b may be used.

  A positioning pattern (not shown) for determining a relative position between an encoder head and a scale, which will be described later, is provided near the end of the scale of each second water repellent plate 28b. This positioning pattern is composed of, for example, grid lines having different reflectivities. When the encoder head scans the positioning pattern, the intensity of the output signal of the encoder changes. Therefore, a threshold is set in advance, and a position where the intensity of the output signal exceeds the threshold is detected. Based on the detected position, a relative position between the encoder head and the scale is set. As described above, in the present embodiment, fine movement stage WFS includes wafer table WTB. Therefore, in the following description, fine movement stage WFS including wafer table WTB is also referred to as wafer table WTB.

  Next, although the description will be omitted, the chuck unit 120 will be described. The chuck unit 120 is for holding the wafer before exposure on the wafer table WTB before loading it on the wafer table WTB and loading it on the wafer table WTB.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the chuck unit 120 includes a drive unit 122 fixed to the lower surface of the main frame BD via a vibration isolation member (not shown), and a chuck body 130 moved up and down by the drive unit 122. I have. 6A schematically shows a front view of the chuck unit 120 (viewed from the −Y direction), and FIG. 6B schematically shows a plan view of the chuck unit 120. The drive unit 122 includes a motor and drives the chuck body 130 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) via the vertical movement shaft 122a as shown in FIG. 6A.

  The chuck body 130 includes a cool plate 123 made of a circular plate-like member having a predetermined thickness and an upper surface fixed to the lower end of the vertical movement shaft 122a, and an upper surface fixed to the lower surface of the cool plate 123. A Bernoulli chuck (also called a float chuck) 124 or the like is provided.

  The cool plate 123 is used to adjust the temperature of the wafer to a predetermined temperature. For example, a pipe or the like is provided in the interior of the cool plate 123, and a liquid whose temperature is adjusted to the predetermined temperature flows in the pipe. The temperature is adjusted. A pair of guide portions 125 are provided at both ends of the cool plate 123 in the X-axis direction. Each of the pair of guide portions 125 is formed with a guide hole 125a including a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction.

  A shaft 126 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the guide hole 125a formed in one guide portion 125 with a predetermined gap. The upper end portion of the shaft 126 is exposed above the guide portion 125 and is connected to the vertical movement rotation drive portion 127. The vertical movement rotation drive unit 127 is attached to the main frame BD via an attachment member (not shown). A lower end portion of the shaft 126 is exposed below the guide portion 125, and a support plate 128 extending in one axial direction in the XY plane (extending in the X axis direction in FIG. 6A) is fixed to the lower end surface. Has been. In order to prevent generation of dust, it is desirable to dispose non-contact bearings such as air bearings at a plurality of locations on the inner peripheral surface of the guide hole 125a. The upper surface of the support plate 128 near one end in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the shaft 126. The support plate 128 has a first rotational position where the other end in the longitudinal direction opposes a part of the outer peripheral portion of the Bernoulli chuck 124 and a second rotational position where the support plate 128 does not oppose the Bernoulli chuck 124. And is also driven in the vertical direction with a predetermined stroke.

  On the other guide portion 125 side, a vertical movement rotation drive portion 127, a shaft 126, and a support plate 128 are provided with the same arrangement and configuration as described above.

  The Bernoulli chuck 124 is composed of a plate-like member that is substantially the same size as the cool plate 123 that is much thinner than the cool plate 123. An imaging element 129 such as a CCD is attached in an embedded state at three locations on the outer peripheral surface of the Bernoulli chuck 124 (in FIG. 6A and the like, typically only one of the imaging elements is present). It is shown). One of the three image sensors 129 is located at a position facing a notch (a V-shaped notch, not shown) of the wafer W in a state where the center of the wafer W and the center of the Bernoulli chuck 124 substantially coincide with each other. The remaining two image sensors 129 are respectively arranged at positions facing a part of the outer periphery of the wafer W in a state where the center of the wafer W and the center of the Bernoulli chuck 124 substantially coincide with each other. Further, the Bernoulli chuck 124 is provided with a gap sensor (not shown) composed of, for example, a capacitance sensor, and its output is supplied to the main controller 20.

  As is well known, the Bernoulli chuck uses the Bernoulli effect to locally increase the flow velocity of the fluid (eg, air) to be blown out, and fix the object in a non-contact manner (hereinafter, supported, held or adsorbed as appropriate). It is also called a chuck. Here, the Bernoulli effect refers to the effect that the Bernoulli theorem (principle) that the fluid pressure decreases as the flow velocity increases exerts on the fluid machine or the like. In the Bernoulli chuck, the holding state (adsorption / floating state) is determined by the weight of the object to be adsorbed (fixed) and the flow velocity of the fluid blown from the chuck. That is, when the size of the object is known, the dimension of the gap between the chuck and the object to be held is determined according to the flow rate of the fluid blown from the chuck. In the present embodiment, the Bernoulli chuck 124 is used for attracting (supporting or holding) the wafer (W). Since the wafer is attracted and held by the Bernoulli chuck 124, movement in the Z-axis direction, θx and θy directions is limited, and a pair of wafers is attracted (supported or held) by the Bernoulli chuck 124. Since the support plate 128 is supported in contact with the bottom surface (back surface) near the outer peripheral portion from below, the movement in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θz direction is limited by the frictional force.

  Note that the chuck is not limited to the Bernoulli effect, and a chuck capable of supporting the wafer in a non-contact manner without using the Bernoulli effect may be used. In this embodiment, these chucks are collectively referred to as a Bernoulli chuck.

  The imaging signal of the imaging element 129 described above is sent to a signal processing system 116 (see FIG. 16), and the signal processing system 116 is, for example, according to a technique disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,624,433. Three positions of the peripheral portion including the notch (notch, etc.) of the wafer are detected, and the positional deviation and rotation (θz rotation) error of the wafer W in the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction are obtained. Then, the information on the positional deviation and the rotation error is supplied to the main controller 20 (see FIG. 16). In the present embodiment, the three image sensors 129 are used as the pre-alignment apparatus for measuring the position of the wafer W held by the Bernoulli chuck 124. However, the pre-alignment apparatus is not limited to the image sensor. Other sensors such as a light amount sensor may be used. The pre-alignment apparatus is provided on the Bernoulli chuck 124. For example, only one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit constituting the pre-alignment apparatus is provided on the Bernoulli chuck 124, and the other is provided on the wafer stage WST or the main stage. You may provide in flame | frame BD etc. Further, at least a part of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, for example, the light source and / or the sensor (detector) may not be provided in the Bernoulli chuck 124 but may be arranged in another place such as the main body frame.

  The drive unit 122, the Bernoulli chuck 124, the pair of vertical movement rotation drive units 127, and the like of the chuck unit 120 are controlled by the main controller 20 (see FIG. 16). Various operations performed by the main controller 20 using the chuck unit 120 will be described later.

  Next, the measurement stage MST will be described. 3A, 3B, and 3C are a front view of the measurement stage MST (viewed from the −Y direction), a side view (viewed from the −X direction), and a plan view. The figures (viewed from the + Z direction) are shown respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the measurement stage MST includes a rectangular plate-shaped slider portion 60 having a longitudinal direction in the X-axis direction in a plan view (viewed from the + Z direction), A support portion 62 made of a rectangular parallelepiped member fixed to the + X side end portion of the upper surface of the slider portion 60, and cantilevered on the support portion 62, for example, 6 freedom via the measurement table drive system 52B (see FIG. 16) And a rectangular plate-shaped measurement table MTB that is finely driven in the direction of the angle (or in the direction of three degrees of freedom in the XY plane).

  Although not shown, a measurement stage drive system 51 </ b> B (see FIG. 16) including a coil unit (coil 17) of the base board 12 and a plane motor of an electromagnetic force (Lorentz force) drive system is provided on the bottom surface of the slider unit 60. A magnet unit composed of a plurality of permanent magnets is provided. A plurality of air bearings (not shown) are fixed to the bottom surface of the slider unit 60 around the magnet unit. The measurement stage MST is levitated and supported above the base board 12 by a predetermined gap (gap, clearance), for example, a gap of about several μm, by the air bearing described above, and the measurement stage drive system 51B Driven in the Y-axis direction. The coarse movement stage drive system 51A and the measurement stage drive system 51B share a coil unit. However, in this embodiment, the coarse movement stage drive system 51A and the measurement stage drive system 51B are separately provided for convenience of explanation. I have an idea. As an actual problem, the coils 17 having different coil units are used for driving the wafer stage WST and the measurement stage MST, respectively. Although the measurement stage MST is an air levitation method, for example, a magnetic levitation method using a planar motor may be used.

  Various measurement members are provided on the measurement table MTB. As the measurement member, for example, as shown in FIG. 3C, an illuminance unevenness sensor 95 having a pinhole-shaped light receiving portion that receives illumination light IL on the image plane of the projection optical system PL, projection optics, and the like. An aerial image measuring device 96 that measures an aerial image (projected image) of a pattern projected by the system PL, and a wavefront aberration of the Shack-Hartman method disclosed in, for example, WO 03/065428 A measuring instrument 97 and an illuminance monitor 98 having a light receiving portion with a predetermined area for receiving the illumination light IL on the image plane of the projection optical system PL are provided.

  As the illuminance unevenness sensor 95, for example, a sensor having the same configuration as that disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,465,368 can be used. Further, as the aerial image measuring device 96, for example, one having the same configuration as that disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0041377 can be used. As the wavefront aberration measuring instrument 97, for example, the one disclosed in International Publication No. 99/60361 (corresponding European Patent No. 1079223) can be used. As the illuminance monitor 98, a monitor having the same configuration as that disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0061469 can be used.

  In addition, the measurement table MTB is provided with a pair of light receiving systems (not shown) in an arrangement that can face the pair of light sending systems (not shown). In the present embodiment, each aerial image measurement slit pattern SL of measurement plate 30 on wafer stage WST is measured in a state where wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST are close to each other within a predetermined distance in the Y-axis direction (including a contact state). An aerial image measuring device 45 (see FIG. 16) is configured in which the transmitted illumination light IL is guided by each light transmission system (not shown) and received by a light receiving element of each light receiving system (not shown) in the measurement stage MST. The

  In the present embodiment, four measurement members (95, 96, 97, 98) are provided on the measurement table MTB, but the type and / or number of measurement members are not limited thereto. As the measurement member, for example, a transmittance measuring instrument that measures the transmittance of the projection optical system PL, and / or a measuring instrument that observes the above-described local liquid immersion device 8, such as the nozzle unit 32 (or the tip lens 191), or the like. May be used. Further, a member different from the measurement member, for example, a cleaning member for cleaning the nozzle unit 32, the tip lens 191, etc. may be mounted on the measurement stage MST.

  In the present embodiment, the illumination light IL is applied in response to the immersion exposure that exposes the wafer W with the exposure light (illumination light) IL via the projection optical system PL and the liquid (water) Lq. The illuminance unevenness sensor 95, the aerial image measuring device 96, the wavefront aberration measuring device 97, and the illuminance monitor 98 used for the measurement to be used receive the illumination light IL through the projection optical system PL and water. In addition, for each sensor, for example, only a part of the optical system and a light receiving surface (light receiving unit) that receives the illumination light IL through water and the optical system may be arranged on the measurement table MTB, or the entire sensor May be arranged on the measurement table MTB.

  A plate 63 made of a transparent member whose surface is covered with a liquid repellent film (water repellent film) is fixed to the upper surface of the measurement table MTB. The plate 63 is made of the same material as the plate 28 described above. A grating RGa similar to the above-described grating RG is provided on the lower surface (the surface on the −Z side) of the measurement table MTB.

  In the case where the measurement stage drive system 51B is configured by a magnetic levitation type planar motor, for example, the measurement stage may be a single stage movable in directions of six degrees of freedom. Further, the plate 63 may not be provided on the measurement table MTB. In this case, a plurality of openings in which the light receiving surfaces (light transmission portions) of the plurality of sensors described above are respectively arranged are formed on the upper surface of the measurement table MTB. For example, the light receiving surface is substantially the same as the upper surface of the measurement table MTB in the opening. In other words, at least a part of the sensor including the light receiving surface may be provided on the measurement table MTB so as to be the same surface.

  Position information of the measurement stage MST in the XY plane is measured by the main controller 20 using a measurement stage position measurement system 16B (see FIGS. 1 and 16) including an interferometer system similar to the wafer stage position measurement system 16A. Is done.

  The measurement stage MST can be engaged with the measurement arm 71A from the −X side, and in the engaged state, the measurement table MTB is positioned directly above the measurement arm 71A. At this time, the position information of the measurement table MTB is measured by a plurality of encoder heads included in a measurement arm 71A described later that irradiates the grating RGa with a measurement beam.

  In addition, the measurement table MTB can approach or contact the wafer table WTB (fine movement stage WFS) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS from the + Y side to a distance of about 300 μm or less, for example. An apparently flat surface is formed together with the upper surface of the table WTB (see, for example, FIG. 27). The measurement table MTB (measurement stage MST) is driven by the main controller 20 via the measurement stage drive system 51B, and transfers the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) to and from the wafer table WTB. That is, a part of the boundary defining the liquid immersion area formed under the projection optical system PL is replaced from one of the upper surface of the wafer table WTB and the upper surface of the measurement table MTB to the other. The delivery of the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) between measurement table MTB and wafer table WTB will be further described later.

  Next, the configuration of first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A (see FIG. 16) used for measuring position information of fine movement stage WFS that is movably held by coarse movement stage WCS in exposure station 200 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the first backside encoder system 70A of the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A is arranged inside the coarse movement stage WCS with the wafer stage WST disposed below the projection optical system PL. A measurement arm 71A is provided which is inserted into the provided space.

Measuring arm 71A, as shown in FIG. 7, the arm member ₇₁₁ which is supported in a cantilevered state via a support member 72A to the main frame BD, the encoder head to be described later housed in the interior of the arm member 71 ₁ (At least a part of the optical system). That is, as the head portion of the first back-side encoder system 70A (including at least part of the optical system) is arranged below the grating RG of wafer table WTB, an arm member ₇₁₁ of the measuring arm 71A supporting member 72A The head portion is supported by a measurement member (also referred to as a support member or a metrology arm). Thus, the measurement beam of the first backside encoder system 70A is irradiated from below on the grating RG. Arm members 71 _1, as shown enlarged in FIG. 8 (A), a hollow columnar member having a rectangular cross-section the Y-axis direction is the longitudinal direction. Arm members 71 _1, for example as shown in FIG. 19, the width direction (X-axis direction) is the most widely near proximal end dimensions of somewhat position of the base end portion closer than the longitudinal center from the proximal end As it goes to the distal end side, it gradually becomes thinner, and it is almost constant from the position slightly closer to the proximal end to the distal end than the center in the longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, the head portion of the first backside encoder system 70A is disposed between the grating RG of the wafer table WTB and the surface of the base board 12. However, for example, the head section is provided below the base board 12. It may be arranged.

The arm member 71 _1, the low thermal expansion coefficient material, preferably consists of 0 expansion material (e.g. of Schott AG Zerodur (the brand name), etc.), to its distal end, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, about 100Hz A mass damper (also referred to as a dynamic damper) 69 having a specific resonance frequency is provided. Here, the mass damper is a pendulum composed of an elastic member, for example, a spring and a weight, and when this is attached, when vibration is applied to the structure (here, the arm member 71 ₁ ) from the outside, If the vibration frequency is the same as the mass damper resonance, the weight resonates and absorbs the vibration energy of the structure (here, the arm member 71 ₁ ) instead. Thereby, the vibration of the specific frequency of the structure (here arm member 71 ₁ ) can be suppressed small. It is also possible to suppress or prevent vibration of the arm member 71 ₁ by the vibration suppressing member other than mass damper. The vibration suppressing member is _one of compensation devices that compensate for a measurement error of the first backside encoder system 70A caused by the vibration of the arm member 711. A first topside encoder system 80A described later is also used. One of the compensation devices.

Arm members 71 _1, because the hollow in and proximal portion is wider, the rigidity becomes high with the shape in the plan view is set as described above, wafer stage WST is the projection optical system in the state of being disposed below the PL, interfere in a state where the distal end of the arm member 71 ₁ is inserted into the space of coarse movement stage WCS, although the wafer stage WST moves, the wafer stage WST during the movement Can be prevented. Also, such as an optical fiber of the light-sending side for transmitting light (measurement beam) between the encoder head to be described later in the hollow portion of the arm member 71 ₁ (light source side) and the light receiving side (detector side) is in communication. Incidentally, the arm member 71 _1, for example, only a portion such as an optical fiber is passed is a hollow, the other portion may be formed by a solid member.

In a state where wafer stage WST as described above is disposed below of the projection optical system PL, and the arm member 71 ₁ of the measuring arm 71A has a tip portion is inserted into the space of coarse movement stage WCS, FIGS. 1 and 7 As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface of the grating RG provided on the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS (more precisely, the lower surface of the main body 81) (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 7; see FIG. 2B, etc.) Opposite to. Upper surface of the arm member 71 ₁ is substantially parallel to the predetermined space (gap clearance), for example, in a state where a gap of about several mm are formed, the fine motion stage WFS lower surface between the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS .

  As shown in FIG. 17, the first backside encoder system 70A includes a pair of three-dimensional encoders 73a and 73b that respectively measure the positions of the fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and the fine movement stage WFS. An XZ encoder 73c that measures positions in the X-axis and Z-axis directions, and a YZ encoder 73d that measures positions in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions of fine movement stage WFS are included.

Each of the XZ encoder 73c and the YZ encoder 73d is housed in the arm member of the measurement arm 71A, and is a two-dimensional head having the X axis and Z axis directions as measurement directions, and the Y axis and Z axis directions as measurement directions. A two-dimensional head is provided. Hereinafter, for convenience, the two-dimensional heads included in each of the XZ encoder 73c and the YZ encoder 73d are referred to as an XZ head 73c and a YZ head 73d using the same reference numerals as those of the encoders. As each of these XZ head 73c and YZ head 73d, for example, an encoder head having the same configuration as the displacement measurement sensor head disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,561,280 (hereinafter, abbreviated as a head as appropriate). Can be used. Further, a pair of three dimensional encoders 73a, 73b is provided with a three-dimensional head of the X-axis housed respectively inside of the arm member 71 ₁ of the measurement arm 71A, the Y axis and the Z-axis direction as the measurement direction. Hereinafter, for convenience, the three-dimensional heads included in each of the three-dimensional encoders 73a and 73b will be referred to as three-dimensional heads 73a and 73b using the same reference numerals as the respective encoders. As the three-dimensional heads 73a and 73b, for example, the XZ head 73c and the YZ head 73d have the same measurement points (detection points) and can measure in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. It is possible to use a three-dimensional head configured in combination.

The FIG. 8 (A), the distal end of the arm member 71 ₁ in a perspective view, in FIG. 8 (B), a plan view of the upper surface of the distal end of the arm member 71 ₁ from the + Z direction It is shown. As shown in FIG. 8 (A) and FIG. 8 (B), the pair of three-dimensional head 73a, 73b are disposed at positions symmetrical with respect to the center line CL of the arm member 71 _1. One three-dimensional head 73a is located at two points on the straight line LX1 parallel to the X axis and at the same distance (referred to as distance a) from the straight line LY1 parallel to the Y axis at a predetermined distance from the center line CL (FIG. 8). From (B) white circle), the measurement beams LBxa ₁ and LBxa ₂ (see FIG. 8A) are irradiated onto the grating RG. The three-dimensional head 73a irradiates the measurement beams LBya ₁ and LBya ₂ on the grating RG from two points on the straight line LY1 that are at a distance a from the straight line LX1. Measurement beam LBxa _1, LBxa ₂ is irradiated to the same irradiation point on grating RG, also measuring beam LBya ₁ to the irradiation point, LBya ₂ is also irradiated. In the present embodiment, the measuring beam LBxa _1, LBxa ₂ and measurement beams LBya _1, LBya ₂ irradiation point, i.e. the detection points of the three-dimensional head 73a (reference symbol DP1 in FIG. 8 (B)) is irradiated to the wafer W It coincides with the exposure position that is the center of the irradiation area (exposure area) IA of the illumination light IL to be emitted (see FIG. 1). Here, the straight line LY1 coincides with the aforementioned reference axis LV.

The three-dimensional head 73b has a measurement beam LBxb ₁ on the grating RG from two points (see the white circle in FIG. 8B) that are both at a distance a from the straight line LY2 that is symmetrical to the straight line LY1 with respect to the center line CL. , LBxb ₂ is irradiated. The three-dimensional head 73b irradiates the measurement beams LByb ₁ and LByb ₂ on the grating RG from two points on the straight line LY2 and at a distance a from the straight line LX1. The measurement beams LBxb ₁ and LBxb ₂ are irradiated to the same irradiation point on the grating RG, and the irradiation beams are also irradiated with the measurement beams LByb ₁ and LByb ₂ . The irradiation points of the measurement beams LBxb ₁ and LBxb ₂ and the measurement beams LByb ₁ and LByb ₂ , that is, the detection points of the three-dimensional head 73 b (see reference numeral DP 2 in FIG. 8B) are a predetermined distance on the −X side of the exposure position. It is a distant point.

The XZ head 73c is disposed at a position separated by a predetermined distance on the + Y side of the three-dimensional head 73a. As shown in FIG. 8B, the XZ head 73c has two points (a distance a from the straight line LY1 on the straight line LX2 parallel to the X axis located on the predetermined distance + Y side from the straight line LX1). (See the white circle in (B)), the common irradiation points on the grating RG are irradiated with measurement beams LBxc ₁ and LBxc ₂ indicated by broken lines in FIG. 8A, respectively. The irradiation points of the measurement beams LBxc ₁ and LBxc ₂ , that is, the detection points of the XZ head 73 c are indicated by reference numeral DP 3 in FIG. 8B.

The YZ head 73d is disposed at a position separated by a predetermined distance on the + Y side of the three-dimensional head 73b. As shown in FIG. 8B, the YZ head 73d is arranged on the straight line LY2, and is located on the grating RG from two points (see white circles in FIG. 8B) that are both at a distance a from the straight line LX2. Are irradiated with measurement beams LByc ₁ and LByc ₂ indicated by broken lines in FIG. 8A, respectively. The irradiation points of the measurement beams LByc ₁ and LByc ₂ , that is, the detection points of the YZ head 73 d are indicated by reference numeral DP ₄ in FIG. 8B.

  In the first backside encoder system 70A, a pair of three-dimensional heads 73a and 73b that measure the positions of the fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions using the X diffraction grating and the Y diffraction grating of the grating RG are used. Each of the three-dimensional encoders 73a and 73b is configured, and the XZ encoder 73c is configured by the XZ head 73c that measures the X-axis and Z-axis direction positions of the fine movement stage WFS using the X diffraction grating of the grating RG. A YZ encoder 73d is configured by a YZ head 73d that measures the positions of the fine movement stage WFS in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions using the Y diffraction grating.

  Outputs of the encoders 73a, 73b, 73c, and 73d of the first backside encoder system 70A are supplied to the main controller 20 via a switching unit 150A described later (see FIGS. 16 and 17).

  Here, when the output of the first backside encoder system 70A is supplied to the main control device 20 via the switching unit 150A, the fine movement stage performed by the main control device 20 using the first backside encoder system 70A. The position measurement in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom of WFS and the difference measurement of the XYZ grid will be described based on FIGS. 10 (A) to 12 (B).

  Here, as a premise, as shown in FIG. 10A, the measurement values of the three-dimensional encoders 73a and 73b are (X1, Y1, Z1) and (X2, Y2, Z2), respectively, and the measurement of the XZ encoder 73c is performed. The value is (X3, Z3), and the measurement value of the YZ encoder 73d is (Y3, Z4).

  In this embodiment, as an example, X1, Y1, Y2, Z1, Z2, and Z3 are directions of six degrees of freedom (X axis, Y axis) of fine movement stage WFS, as shown by filling in FIG. , Z axis, θx, θy and θz directions). Specifically, main controller 20 uses X1, Y1, and Z1 to calculate the positions of fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and uses Y1 and Y2 to make θz of fine movement stage WFS. The position in the direction is calculated, the position in the θy direction of fine movement stage WFS is calculated using Z1 and Z2, and the position in the θx direction of fine movement stage WFS is calculated using Z1 and Z3.

  In this embodiment, since the detection point DP1 of the three-dimensional head 73a coincides with the exposure position, the position of the fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions is measured at the detection point DP1. Therefore, the positions of the fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are calculated using X1, Y1, and Z1. Therefore, for example, when the exposure position coincides with the center point of the detection points DP1 and DP2 of the pair of three-dimensional heads 73a and 73b, the main controller 20 determines the average value of X1 and X2, Y1 The positions of fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions may be obtained based on the average value of Y and Y2 and the average value of Z1 and Z2.

  In addition, main controller 20 performs the following difference measurement in parallel with the position measurement of fine movement stage WFS in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction, and performs X, Y, Z of the coordinate system of first backside encoder system 70A. Find the grid (grid error). That is, main controller 20 obtains a deviation ΔX / δx corresponding to the X position of the X grid using X1 and X2, as shown in FIGS. 10B and 11A. As shown in FIG. 11B and FIG. 11B, the deviation ΔX / δy corresponding to the Y position of the X grid is obtained using X1 and X3. Thereby, a ΔX map as shown in FIG. 11C is obtained.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 10 (B), main controller 20 uses Y2 and Y3 to obtain a deviation ΔY / δy corresponding to the Y position of the Y grid, and uses Z3 and Z4. The deviation ΔZ / δx corresponding to the X position of the Z grid is obtained, and the deviation ΔZ / δy corresponding to the Y position of the Z grid is obtained using Z2 and Z4. Further, main controller 20 uses Y1 and Y2 to obtain a deviation ΔY / δx corresponding to the X position of the Y grid. At this time, the position of fine movement stage WFS in the θz direction is set to X1. Calculation is performed using X3. As a result, a ΔY map and a ΔZ map as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B are obtained.

  Main controller 20 repeatedly performs the above-described difference measurement at a predetermined sampling interval in parallel with the position measurement in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom of fine movement stage WFS, and the coordinate system of first backside encoder system 70A. Update grid error. Hereinafter, this update of the grid error is referred to as a refresh of the coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the main controller 20 uses the first backside encoder system 70A to transfer the pattern of the reticle R to the plurality of shot areas of the wafer W placed on the fine movement stage WFS. The position information of fine movement stage WFS in the XY plane can always be measured directly below the exposure position (on the back side of fine movement stage WFS).

  In this case, in the above-described heads 73a to 73d, the optical path length of the measurement beam in the air is extremely short and almost equal, so that the influence of the air fluctuation can be almost ignored. Therefore, the position information of the fine movement stage WFS in the six degrees of freedom direction can be measured with high accuracy by the first backside encoder system 70A. In addition, since the detection points on the grating in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions by the first backside encoder system 70A coincide with the center (exposure position) of the exposure area IA, so-called Abbe error occurs. Is suppressed to a level that can be substantially ignored. Therefore, main controller 20 can measure the position of fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction with high accuracy without Abbe error by using first backside encoder system 70A. The first backside encoder system 70A may only measure the position information of the wafer table WTB (or wafer stage WST) in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction. However, as in the present embodiment, the first backside encoder system 70A It is preferable that position information of wafer table WTB (or wafer stage WST) can be measured using at least one measurement beam separately from a plurality of measurement beams necessary for measurement.

  Next, the configuration and the like of the first top side encoder system 80A that constitutes a part of the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A will be described. The first top side encoder system 80A can measure the positional information of the fine movement stage WFS in the 6 degrees of freedom direction in parallel with the first back side encoder system 70A.

  In the exposure apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of head portions 62A and 62C are disposed on the + X side and the −X side of the projection unit PU (nozzle unit 32), respectively. As will be described later, each of the head portions 62A and 62C includes a plurality of heads, and these heads are suspended from a main frame BD (not shown in FIG. 4, refer to FIG. 1, etc.) via a support member. It is fixed.

Head portion 62A, 62C is provided as the respective four four-axis head 65 _{1-65 4} 64 _{1-64 4} shown in FIG. 4 Inside the shaft head 65 _{1-65 4} housing, as shown in FIG. 5, the XZ head 65X ₁ ~65X ₄ to the X-axis and the Z-axis direction as the measurement direction, Y-axis and Z-axis YZ heads 65Y _{1 to} 65Y ₄ having a measurement direction as the measurement direction are accommodated. Similarly, XZ heads 64X _{1 to} 64X ₄ and YZ heads 64Y _{1 to} 64Y ₄ are accommodated in the housings of the four-axis heads 64 ₁ to 64 ₄ . As each of the XZ heads 65X _{1 to} 65X ₄ and 64X _{1 to} 64X ₄ and the YZ heads 65Y _{1 to} 65Y ₄ and 64Y _{1 to} 64Y ₄ , for example, a displacement disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,561,280 is described. An encoder head having the same configuration as that of the measurement sensor head can be used.

XZ heads 65X _{1 to} 65X ₄ , 64X _{1 to} 64X ₄ (more precisely, irradiation points on the measurement beam scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ emitted by the XZ heads 65X _{1 to} 65X ₄ and 64X _{1 to} 64X ₄ ) Arranged at a predetermined interval WD on a straight line (hereinafter referred to as a reference axis) LH that passes through the optical axis AX (in the present embodiment, also coincides with the center of the exposure area IA in the present embodiment) and is parallel to the X axis. ing. YZ heads 65Y _{1 to} 65Y ₄ , 64Y _{1 to} 64Y ₄ (more precisely, irradiation points on the scales 39 ₁ and 39 _{2 of the} measurement beams emitted by the YZ heads 65Y _{1 to} 65Y ₄ and 64Y _{1 to} 64Y ₄ ) Is arranged at the same X position as the corresponding XZ heads 65X _{1 to} 65X ₄ , 64X _{1 to} 64X ₄ on a straight line LH ₁ that is parallel to the reference axis LH and spaced a predetermined distance from the reference axis LH to the −Y side. Has been. Hereinafter, XZ heads 65X _{1 to} 65X ₄ , 64X _{1 to} 64X ₄ , and YZ heads 65Y _{1 to} 65Y ₄ , 64Y _{1 to} 64Y ₄ are respectively replaced with XZ heads 65X, 64X, and YZ heads 65Y as necessary. , 64Y. Note that the reference axis LH coincides with the straight line LX1 described above.

The head units 62A and 62C use the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ , respectively, to measure the position of the wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction (X position) and the position in the Z-axis direction (Z position) (here, 4 eyes). The XZ linear encoder of the eye) and the multi-lens (four eyes here) YZ linear encoder that measures the position in the Y-axis direction (Y position) and the Z position are configured. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, these encoders will be denoted as XZ linear encoders 65X and 64X and YZ linear encoders 65Y and 64Y using the same reference numerals as those of the XZ heads 65X and 64X and YZ heads 65Y and 64Y (FIG. 17). reference).

  In the present embodiment, the multi-lens (four eyes in this case) is used to measure position information regarding the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and θx directions of the wafer table WTB by the XZ linear encoder 65X and the YZ linear encoder 65Y. A 4-axis encoder 65 is configured (see FIG. 17). Similarly, a multi-lens (four eyes here) four-axis measuring position information in the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and θx directions of the wafer table WTB by the XZ linear encoder 64X and the YZ linear encoder 64Y. An encoder 64 is configured (see FIG. 17).

Here, the head portion 62A, 62C are four XZ head 65X with each, 64X (more precisely, XZ head 65X, the scale ₃₉ 1 measurement beam 64X emitted, 39 irradiated points on ₂₎ and four YZ heads The interval WD in the X-axis direction between 65Y and 64Y (more precisely, the irradiation point on the scale of the measurement beam emitted by the YZ heads 65Y and 64Y) is set narrower than the width of the scales 39 ₁ and 39 _{2 in} the X-axis direction. ing. Therefore, at the time of exposure or the like, at least one of the four XZ heads 65X, 64X, YZ heads 65Y, 64Y always faces the corresponding scales 39 ₁ , 39 ₂ (the measurement beam is changed). Irradiation). Here, the width of the scale refers to the width of the diffraction grating (or this formation region), more precisely, the range in which the position can be measured by the head.

  Therefore, when the wafer stage WST is in the exposure station 200 by the 4-axis encoder 65 and the 4-axis encoder 64, the first top that measures position information in the 6 degrees of freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS supported by the coarse movement stage WCS. A side encoder system 80A is configured.

  The measurement values of the respective encoders constituting the first top side encoder system 80A are supplied to the main controller 20 via the switching unit 150A (see FIGS. 16, 17, etc.).

Although not shown, main controller 20 provides XZ heads 65X and 64X and YZ heads 65Y and 64Y that measure position information of wafer table WTB when wafer stage WST is driven in the X-axis direction. The adjacent XZ heads 65X and 64X and YZ heads 65Y and 65Y are sequentially switched. That is, in order to smoothly switch (connect) the XZ head and YZ head, as described above, the interval WD between adjacent XZ heads and YZ heads included in the head portions 62A and 62C is the scales 39 ₁ and 39 _2. Is set narrower than the width in the X-axis direction.

  As can be seen from the above description, in the present embodiment, when wafer stage WST is in exposure station 200, the positional information in the 6 degrees of freedom direction of fine movement stage WFS supported by coarse movement stage WCS is the first backside. Measurement can be performed in parallel by the encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A.

  However, the first top side encoder system 80A and the first back side encoder system 70A have the following advantages and disadvantages, respectively.

  The first top-side encoder system 80A varies the static component of the measurement signal (including the component of the extremely low frequency band) due to the long-term variation such as the deformation of the plate 28 and the drift of the heads 65X, 64X, 65Y, and 64Y. The wafer table WTB has a low rigidity and a large amplitude, so it is disadvantageous in terms of frequency characteristics. However, the influence of the vibration of the body is small, and measurement is performed except for the extremely low frequency band. The trick is that it is small.

On the other hand, the first backside encoder system 70A is less susceptible to long-term fluctuations such as the deformation of the grating RG and the drifts of the heads 73a to 73d, the reliability of the static component of the measurement signal is high, and the fine movement stage WFS in the high frequency band. Since the portion having high rigidity is observed, it has advantages such as being advantageous in terms of frequency characteristics. However, the measurement arm 71A (arm member 71 ₁ ) has a cantilever support structure, and its length is 500 mm or more. For this reason, there is a disadvantage that the influence of the dark vibration (body vibration) in the band of about 100 Hz to 400 Hz is large.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the wafer stage WST is positioned at the exposure station 200 including the later-described exposure, for example, as shown in FIG. 13A, the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside In parallel with the encoder system 80A, the position information of the fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB) is measured, and the position control of the wafer table WTB is performed based on the more reliable position information. Yes. Therefore, the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A are connected to the main controller 20 via the switching unit 150A (see FIGS. 16, 17, etc.).

FIG. 18 shows an example of a specific configuration of the switching unit 150A. Switching unit 150A, the two changeover switch part 158a, and 158b, the output signal _{F B} of the first back-side encoder system 70A is input through the one output terminal a of the switch portion 158a, the changeover switch unit 158b 1 One of the output signal F _T of the first top side encoder system 80A is input through the output terminal d, and includes a hybrid filter unit 160 for outputting a hybrid position signal F _H to the main controller 20.

  The changeover switch unit 158a has an input terminal (not shown) connected to the first backside encoder system 70A and three output terminals a, b, c, and the input terminal and the three output terminals a, b, Switch and connect to any of c. In this case, the output terminal b is connected to the main control device 20, and the output terminal c is a terminal (hereinafter referred to as an open terminal) to which nothing is connected.

  The changeover switch unit 158b has an input terminal (not shown) connected to the first top side encoder system 80A and three output terminals d, e, and f, and the input terminal and the three output terminals d, e, and f. Switch and connect to any of f. In this case, the output terminal e is connected to the main controller 20, and the output terminal f is an open terminal.

  The changeover switches 158a and 158b are changed by inputting a changeover signal (or select signal) indicated by a broken line in FIG. Main controller 20 inputs a switching signal (or select signal) to changeover switches 158a and 158b in accordance with a predetermined processing algorithm or in response to an external command.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the following four states are alternatively set in the switching unit 150A by the main controller 20.

The switching unit 150A is set to a first state in which the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158a is connected to the output terminal a and the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158b is connected to the output terminal d. Switching unit 150A is, in the first state, as will be described later, and outputs a hybrid position signal F _H on the main controller 20.

The switching unit 150A is set to a second state in which the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158a is connected to the output terminal b and the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158b is connected to the output terminal e. Switching unit 150A, in this second state, the output signal _{F B} of the first back-side encoder system 70A, and an output signal _{F T} of the first top side encoder system 80A, and outputs to the main control unit 20.

The switching unit 150A is set to a third state in which the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158a is connected to the output terminal b and the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158b is connected to the open terminal f. Switching unit 150A is in the third state, only the output signal _{F B} of the first back-side encoder system 70A, and outputs to the main control unit 20.

The switching unit 150A is set to a fourth state in which the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158a is connected to the open terminal c and the input terminal of the changeover switch unit 158b is connected to the output terminal e. Switching unit 150A is in the fourth state, only the output signal _{F T} of the first top side encoder system 80A, and outputs to the main control unit 20.

  Hereinafter, for convenience, the first, second, third, and fourth states will be referred to as first, second, third, and fourth modes of the switching unit 150A. That is, the switching unit 150A is a mode setting unit that alternatively sets four modes of output to the main control device 20.

Hybrid filter unit 160, switching unit 150A is, when set to the first mode, the output signal _{F B} of the first back-side encoder system 70A, and an output signal _{F T} of the first top side encoder system 80A as input, and outputs a hybrid position signal F _H used for position control of the fine movement stage WFS to main controller 20.

Hybrid filter unit 160, the output signal _{F B} of the first back-side encoder system 70A are input, the cut-off frequency is a low-pass filter Lfc ₁ of fc _1, the high-pass cutoff frequency is _fc 2 (> _{fc 1)} and a filter Hfc _2, input thereof to the first filter portion 160a which two filters Lfc ₁ and Hfc ₂ and outputs a sum signal of each pass signals, the output signal _{F T} of the first top side encoder system 80A respectively is the, the high-pass filter Hfc ₁ cutoff frequency fc _1, and a low-pass filter Lfc ₂ cutoff frequency fc _2, the sum signal of the two filters Hfc ₁ and Lfc ₂ respectively pass signals And a second filter unit 160b for outputting. Hybrid filter unit 160, an addition signal of the outputs of the second filter portion 160b of the first filter portion 160a as a hybrid position signal _{F H,} and outputs to the main control unit 20.

Here, the cutoff frequency fc ₁ is for example first backside encoder system 70A is somewhat lower frequency than the lower limit frequency 100Hz frequency band 100Hz~400Hz dark vibrations affected, is set to, for example, 50 Hz. Further, the cut-off frequency fc _2, for example a first backside encoder system 70A is somewhat higher frequency than the upper limit frequency 400Hz frequency band 100Hz~400Hz dark vibrations affected, is set to, for example, 500 Hz.

When the cut-off frequencies fc ₁ and fc ₂ are set in this way, the hybrid filter unit 160 is as shown by a solid line in FIG. 13B. In the low frequency range lower than 50 Hz, the output signal (position measurement result) of the first backside encoder system 70A is in the middle frequency band higher than 50 Hz and lower than 500 Hz. measurement results), the higher frequency range than 500Hz output signal of the first back-side encoder system 70A (position of the measurement result), and that each output as a hybrid position signal F _H.

  As a result, the first top side encoder system 80A is not affected by the influence of the plate deformation and the head drift and the reliability of the measurement value is lowered. The measured value of the backside encoder system 70A is less susceptible to such influence in the middle frequency range where the reliability of the measured value is lowered due to the influence of the dark vibration of the first backside encoder system 70A. The measurement value of the first top side encoder system 80A is advantageous in terms of frequency characteristics in a high frequency range where the first top side encoder system 80A observes a portion where the rigidity of the wafer table WTB is low and the amplitude is large, which is disadvantageous in terms of frequency characteristics. The measured values of the first backside encoder system 70A are respectively X of the wafer table WTB. As the measurement result of the position in the plane, it is outputted to the main controller 20. Therefore, main controller 20 can always drive (position control) fine movement stage WFS when exposure stage 200 has wafer stage WST based on the highly reliable position measurement value of wafer table WTB. .

Thus, in the present embodiment, when the switching unit 150A is set to the first mode, the measurement information (measurement signal) of the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside encoder system 80A is switched in the frequency band. As a result, the position control of wafer table WTB is performed based on the more reliable measurement information. Incidentally, for example, first top side encoder system 80A is, for example, when not a disadvantage on the frequency characteristic in the high frequency range, setting the cut-off frequency fc ₂ is unnecessary. In this case, provided by a high pass filter and a low pass filter cutoff frequency fc _1, a filter circuit for synthesizing a hybrid position signal of the output signal of the first back-side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A If it is enough.

  The switching unit 150A is set to the third mode or the fourth mode, for example, when the measurement information of the first backside encoder system 70A is obviously more reliable, or the first topside encoder system This is a case where 80A measurement information is more reliable.

  In addition, the switching unit 150A is set to the second mode when it is necessary to capture both measurement information of the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside encoder system 80A.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the switching unit 150A is set to the first mode, the fine movement stage WFS is driven based on the measurement value of the first top side encoder system 80A in the middle frequency range. since (position control) is performed, updating the coordinate system set by a pair of scales ₃₉ 1, 39 ₂ of the two-dimensional grating, i.e. a pair of scales ₃₉ 1, 39 ₂ of the grid (grid error) updating (hereinafter Desirably, the coordinate system of the first top side encoder system 80A is referred to as refresh.

  Therefore, main controller 20 refreshes the coordinate system of first top side encoder system 80A as follows, for example, during exposure, when wafer stage WST is in exposure station 200.

The relationship between the coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A and the plurality of four-axis heads 65 _{1 to} 65 ₄ and 64 ₁ to 64 _{4 of} the first top side encoder system 80A in this embodiment is as shown in FIG. Can be expressed as: Here, R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ , and R ₄ correspond to the four-axis heads 65 ₁ , 65 ₂ , 65 ₃ , and 65 ₄ , respectively, and L ₁ , L ₂ , L ₃ , and L ₄ each represent 4 It corresponds to the shaft heads 64 ₁ , 64 ₂ , 64 ₃ , 64 ₄ .

The code Ct _i (i = 1, 2, 3, 4) is the coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A suspended by L _i and R _i , that is, R _i and L _i are scales 39 ₁ , 39 _2. Is a partial coordinate system corresponding to a region on the two-dimensional grating RG observed by the three-dimensional encoder 73a immediately below the exposure position of the first backside encoder system 70A. The distances from the center of the overall coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A to R1, R2, R3, and R4 are D ₁ , D ₂ , D ₃ , and D ₄ , respectively, and D _i + D _(5-i) = W Then, the grid distortion Δ _i (x _i , y _i ) of Ct _i is expressed by the following equation (1). Here, Δ is a three-dimensional vector having x, y, and z components.

_{Δ i (x i, y i} ) = 1 / W · {D i Δ L (x i, y i) + D (5-i) Δ R (x i, y i)} ... (1)
When (x _i , y _i ) in equation (1) is generalized to (x, y) and transformed, the following equation (1) ′ is obtained.

_{WΔ i (x, y) =} D i Δ L (x, y) + D (5-i) Δ R (x, y) ... (1) '
Substituting 1, 2, 3, and 4 for i in equation (1) ′, the following equations (2) to (5) are obtained.

_{WΔ 1 (x, y) =} D 1 Δ L (x, y) + D 4 Δ R (x, y) ... (2)
WΔ ₂ (x, y) = D ₂ Δ _L (x, y) + D ₃ Δ _R (x, y) (3)
_{WΔ 3 (x, y) =} D 3 Δ L (x, y) + D 2 Δ R (x, y) ... (4)
_{WΔ 4 (x, y) =} D 4 Δ L (x, y) + D 1 Δ R (x, y) ... (5)
Two equations are obtained from the sum and difference of equations (2) and (5), and the following two equations are obtained by solving the two equations.

Δ _L (x, y) = WΔ ₁ (x, y) / D ₁
Δ _R (x, y) = WΔ ₄ (x, y) / D ₄
Similarly, two equations are obtained from the sum and difference of equations (3) and (4), and the following two equations can be obtained by solving the two equations.

Δ _L (x, y) = WΔ ₂ (x, y) / D ₂
Δ _R (x, y) = WΔ ₃ (x, y) / D ₃
Therefore, the grid distortion _{Δ i (x i, y i} ) of the Ct _i from the scale ₃₉ 2 as shown in FIG. 14 (B), 39 ₁ of the grid distortion _{Δ L (t, s),} Δ R (t, It can be seen that s) can be obtained.

The main control unit 20 at predetermined intervals, such as at least once during the exposure of each wafer, the scale ₃₉ 2, 39 ₁ of the grid distortion _{Δ L (t, s),} Δ R a (t, s), described above Obtain and update according to the principle. That is, the grid is updated by sliding the scale grid of the first top side encoder system 80A onto the coordinate system of the first back side encoder system 70A where the grid is updated. That is, the coordinate system of the first top side encoder system 80A is refreshed in this way.

  However, when refreshing the coordinate system of the first top side encoder system 80A, the main control device 20 has six degrees of freedom in the coordinate system (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, θx, θy, and θz directions). The offset is not stored and updated as described above, but is stored as it is. The reason for this is that the measurement arm 71A has no mechanical long-term stability, and the backside encoder system has a narrow interval between detection points of a plurality of heads used for position measurement in the θx, θy, and θz directions, for example. This is because the coordinate system of 70A does not have long-term stability in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom, and the coordinate system of the top side encoder system 80A is more reliable. Therefore, after the offset in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction is removed from the back / top difference, the above-described refresh process is performed. The 6-degree-of-freedom offset component is used in post-stream processing described later.

  Next, the configuration of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B (see FIG. 16) used for measuring position information of the fine movement stage WFS that is movably held by the coarse movement stage WCS in the measurement station 300 will be described.

The second backside encoder system 70B of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B is configured such that the wafer stage WST is disposed below the alignment device 99 (alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ ), and the coarse movement stage WCS A measurement arm 71B (see FIG. 1) is provided that is inserted into a space provided inside.

Measurement arm 71B, as shown in FIG. 9 (A), the arm member 71 ₂ supported in a cantilevered state via a support member 72B in the main frame BD, below which is housed in the arm member 71 ₂ Encoder head (optical system). Measurement arm 71B is longer than the arm member 71 ₁ the length of the arm member 71 ₂ is described above, the overall is configured in the aforementioned measurement arm 71A and schematic symmetrical.

As described above, in a state where wafer stage WST is arranged below alignment apparatus 99 (alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ ), as shown in FIG. 9A, arm member 71 _{2 of} measurement arm 71B is provided. Is a grating RG (FIG. 1) whose tip is inserted into the space of coarse movement stage WCS and whose upper surface is provided on the lower surface (more precisely, the lower surface of main body 81) of fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB). 7 (not shown in FIG. 7, refer to FIG. 2B). Upper surface of the arm member ₇₁₂ is substantially parallel to the predetermined space (gap clearance), for example, in a state where a gap of about several mm are formed, the fine motion stage WFS lower surface between the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS .

  As shown in FIG. 17, the second backside encoder system 70B, like the first backside encoder system 70A described above, measures a pair of fine movement stages WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. It includes a three-dimensional encoder 75a, 75b, an XZ encoder 75c that measures the position of fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis and Z-axis directions, and a YZ encoder 75d that measures the position of fine movement stage WFS in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions.

Each XZ encoders 75c and YZ encoder 75d, which are respectively housed inside the arm member 71 _2, X-axis and the Z-axis direction a two-dimensional head whose measurement directions, and the Y-axis and Z-axis direction as the measurement direction A two-dimensional head is provided. Hereinafter, for convenience, the two-dimensional heads included in each of the XZ encoder 75c and the YZ encoder 75d are referred to as the XZ head 75c and the YZ head 75d using the same reference numerals as the respective encoders. The three-dimensional encoders 75a and 75b include a three-dimensional head whose measurement directions are the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. Hereinafter, for convenience, the three-dimensional heads provided in each of the three-dimensional encoders 75a and 75b will be referred to as three-dimensional heads 75a and 75b using the same reference numerals as the respective encoders. As the two-dimensional heads 75c and 75d and the three-dimensional heads 75a and 75b, heads having the same configuration as the two-dimensional heads 73c and 73d and the three-dimensional heads 73a and 73b described above can be used.

FIG. 9B shows a perspective view of the distal end portion of the measurement arm 71B. As shown in FIG. 9B, the three-dimensional heads 75a and 75b and the two-dimensional heads 75c and 75d are the same as the above-described three-dimensional heads 73a and 73b and the two-dimensional heads 73c and 73d, although they are bilaterally symmetric. in the positional relationship, it is disposed in the interior of the arm member 71 _2. The detection center of one three-dimensional head 75a coincides with the alignment position, that is, the detection center of the primary alignment system AL1.

  The outputs of the encoders 73a, 73b, 73c, and 73d of the second backside encoder system 70B are supplied to the main controller 20 via the switching unit 150B that is configured in the same manner as the switching unit 150A described above (FIG. 16, FIG. 17 etc.).

  When the wafer stage WST is located at the measurement station 300, for example, at the time of wafer alignment described later, the main controller 20 uses the heads 75a to 75d of the second backside encoder system 70B to obtain a measurement value of a total of 10 degrees of freedom. Based on the coordinates of the second backside encoder system, the position measurement in the direction of six degrees of freedom of the wafer table WTB as described above and the difference measurement as described above are repeatedly performed at a predetermined sampling interval. Refresh the system. For the position measurement and difference measurement in this case, the above description is applied as it is if the above exposure position is replaced with the alignment position.

  In this embodiment, since the detection point of the three-dimensional head 75a coincides with the alignment position, the position of the fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions is measured at the detection point. Using the measurement values of the three-dimensional head 75a, the positions of the fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are calculated. On the other hand, for example, when the alignment position coincides with the center point of the detection points of the pair of three-dimensional heads 75a and 75b, the main controller 20 determines the position of the pair of three-dimensional heads 75a and 75b. The positions of fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions may be obtained based on the average values of the measured values in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions.

  Further, since the detection points on the grating RG in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions by the second backside encoder system 70B coincide with the detection center (alignment position) of the primary alignment system AL1, so-called Abbe. The occurrence of errors is suppressed to a level that can be substantially ignored. Therefore, main controller 20 can measure the position of fine movement stage WFS in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction with high accuracy without Abbe error by using second backside encoder system 70B.

  Next, the configuration and the like of the second top side encoder system 80B that constitutes a part of the fine movement stage position measurement system 110B will be described. The second top side encoder system 80B can measure the positional information of the fine movement stage WFS in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom in parallel with the second back side encoder system 70B.

In exposure apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 4, head portions 62E and 62F are respectively at the Y position of head portions 62C and 62A and substantially the same Y position as alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 _4. Has been placed. As will be described later, each of the head portions 62E and 62F includes a plurality of heads, and these heads are fixed to the main frame BD in a suspended state via support members.

As shown in FIG. 4, the head portions 62 </ b> F and 62 </ b> E are each provided with _four four-axis heads 68 _{1 to} 68 ₄ and 67 _{1 to} 674. 4 within the shaft head 68 _{1-68 4} of the housing, as shown in FIG. 5, like the 4-axis head 65 _{1-65 4,} etc. described above, the XZ head 68X ₁ ~68X _4, YZ head 68Y _{1 to} 68Y ₃ are accommodated. Similarly, inside the four axes head 67 _{1-67 4} casing, the XZ head 67X ₁ ~67X _4, and YZ head 67Y ₁ ~67Y ₄ is accommodated. XZ head 68X ₁ ~68X _4, and 67X ₁ ~67X _4, as well as respective YZ heads 68Y ₁ ~68Y ₃ and 67Y ₁ ~67Y ₄ is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,561,280 An encoder head having the same configuration as that of the displacement measurement sensor head can be used.

XZ heads 67X _{1 to} 67X ₃ , 68X _{2 to} 68X ₄ (more precisely, irradiation points on scales 39 ₁ and 39 _{2 of} measurement beams emitted by XZ heads 67X _{1 to} 67X ₃ and 68X _{2 to} 68X ₄ ) are: The XZ heads 64X _{1 to} 64X ₃ and 65X _{2 to} 65X ₄ are arranged at substantially the same X position along the reference axis LA.

YZ heads 67Y _{1 to} 67Y ₃ , 68Y _{2 to} 68Y ₄ (more precisely, irradiation points on scales 39 ₁ and 39 _{2 of} measurement beams emitted from YZ heads 67Y _{1 to} 67Y ₃ and 68Y _{2 to} 68Y ₄ ) on a straight line LA ₁ spaced apart on the -Y side from it and the reference axis LA is parallel to the reference axis LA, the same X positions as the corresponding XZ head 67X ₁ ~67X ₃ to, _68X 2 ~68X _4, are disposed.

The remaining XZ heads 67X ₄ and 68X ₁ , and YZ heads 67Y ₄ and 68Y ₁ are at substantially the same X position as each of the XZ heads 64X ₄ and 65X ₁ , and the detection centers of the secondary alignment systems AL2 ₁ and AL2 ₄ respectively. on the -Y side, the reference axis LA, are arranged offset from the straight line LA ₁ the same distance in the -Y direction. Hereinafter, XZ heads 68X _{1 to} 68X ₄ , 67X _{1 to} 67X ₄ , and YZ heads 68Y _{1 to} 68Y ₄ , 67Y _{1 to} 67Y ₄ are respectively replaced with XZ heads 68X, 67X, and YZ heads 68Y as necessary. , 67Y.

The head units 62F and 62E use scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ respectively to measure a multi-lens (four eyes here) XZ linear encoder that measures the X position and Z position of the wafer table WTB, and the Y position and Z position. A multi-lens (four eyes here) YZ linear encoder to be measured is configured. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, these encoders will be referred to as XZ linear encoders 68X and 67X and YZ linear encoders 68Y and 67Y using the same reference numerals as those of the XZ heads 68X and 67X and YZ heads 68Y and 67Y (FIG. 17). reference).

  In the present embodiment, the XZ linear encoder 68X and the YZ linear encoder 68Y use a multi-lens (four eyes in this example) that measures position information about the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and θx directions of the wafer table WTB. An axis encoder 68 is configured (see FIG. 17). Similarly, a multi-lens (four eyes here) four-axis encoder that measures positional information in the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and θx directions of wafer table WTB by XZ linear encoder 67X and YZ linear encoder 67Y. 67 is configured (see FIG. 17).

Here, for the same reason as described above, at the time of alignment measurement, etc., at least one of the four XZ heads 68X, 67X, YZ heads 68Y, 67Y always has a corresponding scale 39 ₁ , 39 ₂ facing (irradiating measurement beams). Therefore, when the wafer stage WST is in the measurement station 300 by the 4-axis encoder 68 and the 4-axis encoder 67, the second top for measuring position information in the 6 degrees of freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS supported by the coarse movement stage WCS. A side encoder system 80B is configured.

  The measurement values of the respective encoders constituting the second top side encoder system 80B are supplied to the main control device 20 via the switching unit 150B (see FIGS. 16, 17, etc.).

  As can be seen from the above description, in the present embodiment, when wafer stage WST is in measurement station 300, the positional information in the 6-DOF direction of fine movement stage WFS supported by coarse movement stage WCS is the second backside. Measurement can be performed in parallel by the encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B.

  Further, in the switching unit 150B, the first to fourth modes are set by the main control device 20, similarly to the switching unit 150A. When the first, third, and fourth modes are set, the measurement values of the second backside encoder system 70B and the second topside encoder system 80B are obtained by the hybrid filter unit 160 according to the setting of the modes. Among them, the measurement value with higher reliability is supplied to the main controller 20, and when the wafer stage WST is in the measurement station 300 based on the measurement value, the drive (position control) of the wafer table WTB is performed. It has become.

  Further, as described above, the main controller 20 slides the grid of the scale of the second top side encoder system 80B on the coordinate system of the second back side encoder system 70B in which the grid is updated, so that the second top side encoder The coordinate system of the system 80B is refreshed.

  Note that the second backside encoder system 70B and the second topside encoder system 80B of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B have the above-described contents and the first backside encoder system 70A, the first The description of the top side encoder system 80A can be applied as it is.

  Although the explanation will be omitted here, it is used to measure the positions of the fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB) in the Y-axis, Z-axis, θy, and θz directions as necessary during focus mapping described later. A third backside encoder system 70C (see FIG. 16) will be described.

The arm member 71 _{and second} measurement arm 71B, as shown in FIG. 9 (B), 3-dimensional head 75a, 75b respectively from detection centers + Y side at the same distance apart points of such that the respective detection centers A pair of YZ heads 77 a and 77 _b are further arranged inside the arm member 712. The detection center of the YZ head 77a on the + X side coincides with the AF center, that is, the detection center of the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) described above. The pair of YZ heads 77a and 77b constitutes a third backside encoder system 70C.

  The output of the third backside encoder system 70C is supplied to the main controller 20 via the switching unit 150C configured in the same manner as the switching unit 150A described above (see FIGS. 16 and 17). When the output of the third backside encoder system 70C is supplied to the main control device 20 via the switching unit 150C, the main control device 20 displays the position information in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions measured by the YZ head 77a. Based on the Y-axis direction and Z-axis direction position information measured by the pair of YZ heads 77a and 77b, the fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB) is obtained based on the Y-position and Z-position information. ) In the θz direction (θz rotation) and the θy direction position (θy rotation).

  When the alignment center matches the center of the detection point of the pair of three-dimensional heads 75a and 75b, the AF center is set to match the center of the detection point of the pair of YZ heads 77a and 77b. Accordingly, in this case, main controller 20 determines the Y position and Z position of fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB) from the average value of the position information in the Y axis and Z axis directions measured by the pair of YZ heads 77a and 77b. Ask.

  The third backside encoder system 70C is slightly different in the position and number of heads, but the description of the first backside encoder system 70A is basically the same as the above description in addition to the above description. Can be applied to.

In the present embodiment, a third top side encoder system 80C is also provided corresponding to the third back side encoder system 70C (see FIG. 16). As shown in FIG. 4, the third top side encoder system 80 </ b> C includes a pair of four-axis heads 66 ₁ and 66 ₂ disposed symmetrically with respect to the reference axis LV. ₂ pair of 4-axis head ₆₆ 1, 66, the position of each of the four axes head ₆₈₃ on the + Y side, arranged in four of the axle head 67 ₂ of the + Y-side position, via a support member, suspended to the main frame BD It is fixed in the state. As shown in FIG. 5, each of the pair of 4-axis heads 66 ₁ , 66 ₂ is similar to the aforementioned 4-axis heads 64 _i , 65 _i , 66 _i , 68 _i along the Y-axis direction. XZ heads 66X ₁ , 66X ₂ and YZ heads 66Y ₁ , 66Y ₂ where detection points are arranged are included. Y position of the detection point of the XZ head _66X 1, 66X _2, each having a pair of four-axis head ₆₆ 1, 66 ₂ coincides with the Y position of the detection center of the AF beam (upper straight line LA _2). Further, X position of the detection point of the XZ head 66X ₂ is positioned somewhat + X side from the detection point of the XZ head 67X _2, X position of the detection point of the XZ head 66X _1, from the detection point of the XZ head 68X ₃ It is located somewhat on the -X side. The pair of 4-axis heads 66 ₁ , 66 ₂ use the scales 39 ₁ , 39 ₂ , respectively, to measure position information of each direction of the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and θx of the wafer table WTB. Configure the axis encoder. The pair of 4-axis encoders constitute a third top side encoder system 80C.

  The measurement values of the respective encoders constituting the third top side encoder system 80C are supplied to the main controller 20 via the switching unit 150C configured in the same manner as the switching unit 150A (see FIGS. 16, 17, etc.). .

  In the present embodiment, the third top side encoder system 80C and the third back side encoder system 70C are used in parallel in the four degrees of freedom direction (Y axis, Z axis, θz, and θy) of the wafer table WTB (fine movement stage WFS). Position information relating to each direction) can be measured.

  Further, in the switching unit 150C, the first to fourth modes are set by the main control device 20, similarly to the switching unit 150A. When the first, third, and fourth modes are set, the hybrid filter unit 160 determines the measurement values of the third backside encoder system 70C and the third topside encoder system 80C according to the setting of the modes. Among them, the measurement value with higher reliability is supplied to the main controller 20.

  However, at the time of focus mapping, which will be described later, wafer stage WST is in measurement station 300, and wafer alignment measurement is performed in parallel with focus mapping. Fine alignment stage WFS (wafer) is used until this alignment measurement is completed. The position of the table WTB) in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom is servo-controlled by the main controller 20 based on the above-described hybrid position signal of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B, and the third top side encoder system 80C, the third The measurement value of the backside encoder system 70C is mainly used as measurement data for focus mapping. After the wafer alignment measurement is completed, the main controller 20 performs the third top side encoder system 80C and the third top side encoder system 80C until the focus mapping ends after the wafer table is removed from the measurement range of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. Based on the measurement value of the third backside encoder system 70C, the fine movement stage WFS is driven (position servo control).

In the present embodiment, when the wafer stage WST moves from the focus mapping end position to the exposure station 200, the fourth top side for measuring the position of the moving wafer table WTB in the direction of six degrees of freedom. An encoder system 80D is provided (see FIG. 16). As shown in FIG. 4, the fourth top side encoder system 80D has a pair of positions that are shifted in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction at an intermediate position between the head part 62A and the head part 62F in the Y-axis direction. Three-dimensional heads 79 ₁ and 79 ₂ are included. The pair of three-dimensional heads 79 ₁ and 79 ₂ are fixed to the main frame BD in a suspended state via support members. Each of the pair of three-dimensional heads 79 ₁ , 79 ₂ includes XZ heads 79X ₁ , 79X ₂ and Y heads 79Y ₁ , 79Y ₂ arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction, as shown in FIG. . Y heads 79Y ₁ and 79Y ₂ are one-dimensional heads whose measurement direction is the Y-axis direction. In this case, the X positions of the XZ heads 79X ₁ and 79X ₂ are set to the same positions as the XZ heads 68X ₂ and 66X ₁ , respectively. As each of Y heads 79Y ₁ and 79Y ₂ , for example, a diffraction interference type encoder head disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843 can be used.

A pair of three dimensional head ₇₉ 1, 79 _2, together with the scale 39 _1, X-axis of the wafer table WTB, Y-axis and Z-axis direction position information measured for a pair of three dimensional encoders 79A, 79B (FIG. 16 To configure). The measurement values of the pair of three-dimensional encoders 79A and 79B are supplied to the main controller 20. A pair of three dimensional head ₇₉ 1, 79 _2, when the center position in the X-axis direction of wafer table WTB coincides with the reference axis LV, using the same scale 39 _1, 6 degrees of freedom of the wafer table WTB Can be measured. A fourth top side encoder system 80D is configured by the pair of three-dimensional encoders 79A and 79B.

  The fourth top side encoder system 80D is slightly different in the position and number of heads, but the description of the first top side encoder system 80A is basically the same as the above description in addition to the above description. Can be applied to.

In exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the predetermined position between the exposure position and the alignment position on the reference axis LV, reference axis LV on a three-dimensional head 79 ₁ of the XZ head 79X as an example _An unloading position UP1 is set at a Y position substantially the same as _1, and a standby position UP2 is set at a position a predetermined distance away from the −X side of the unloading position UP1. A loading position LP is set on the reference axis LV on the −Y side of the alignment position.

  As shown in FIG. 15, an unloading device 170 is arranged in the unloading position UP1 and the standby position UP2 and in the vicinity thereof. The unloading device 170 is arranged around the main frame BD in a vibrationally separated manner from the main frame BD, for example, a frame FL having a rectangular frame shape in plan view supported on the floor surface by a support member (not shown). It is attached.

  The unloading device 170 is fixed to the lower surface (the surface on the −Z side) of the frame FL, and extends in a direction that forms, for example, a predetermined angle α (α is a predetermined angle of, for example, less than 10 degrees) with respect to the Y axis, One end surface (+ X side surface) of one end portion (+ Y side end portion) in the longitudinal direction of the first arm 171 has one end surface in the longitudinal direction fixed to the second arm 172 extending in the X-axis direction and the length of the second arm 172 The first unload slider 170A is movable along the direction, and the second unload slider 170B is movable along the longitudinal direction of the first arm 171.

  The first arm 171 has one end in the longitudinal direction facing the vicinity of the center in the Y-axis direction on the −X side side of the frame FL, and the other end in the longitudinal direction on the −Y side of the −X side side of the frame FL. It consists of the rod-shaped member arrange | positioned facing the lower surface of the flame | frame FL in the state facing the edge part. The first arm 171 has an entire upper surface or a plurality of locations fixed to the lower surface of the frame FL. A guide (not shown) is provided on the lower surface (back surface) of the first arm 171 along the longitudinal direction, and a stator (not shown) is arranged in parallel with the guide.

  The second arm 172 is composed of a rod-like member having substantially the same length as the first arm 171. The second arm 172 has an angle of (90 ° −α) with respect to the first arm 172 on one side surface (+ X side surface) of one end portion (+ Y side end portion) in the longitudinal direction of the first arm 171 in the XY plane. It is fixed in the state of forming. Similar to the first arm 171, a guide (not shown) is provided on the lower surface (back surface) of the second arm 172 along the longitudinal direction, and a stator (not shown) is arranged in parallel with the guide.

  The first unload slider 170A is disposed below the first slide member 173 and the first slide member 173 provided on the back surface of the second arm 172 so as to be movable along the guide. And a wafer gripping part 174 having an X-shape in a plan view that is moved up and down by a vertical movement driving part 176 provided on the H.173 (see, for example, FIG. 36A). The first slide member 173 incorporates a mover that constitutes a first slider driving linear motor together with a stator disposed on the second arm 172 described above.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the wafer gripping part 174 has a main body part 174a composed of a pair of rod-like members combined in an X shape in plan view, and four gripping parts attached to the four tip parts of the main body part 174a. Part 174b.

  The longitudinal dimension of the pair of rod-shaped members constituting the main body 174a is slightly longer than the diameter of the wafer W, and the pair of rod-shaped members are arranged so as to intersect each other at a predetermined angle at the center in the longitudinal direction. As for the main-body part 174a, the part of the intersection of a pair of rod-shaped member is being fixed to the lower surface of the drive shaft of the vertical motion drive part 176. As shown in FIG.

  Here, the pair of rod-shaped members of the main body 174a only needs to be able to grip the wafer W on the wafer stage WST by the four gripping portions 174b, so that a groove is formed on the upper surface (or lower surface) of the central portion of one of the rod-shaped members, By inserting the other rod-shaped member into the groove, both the upper surfaces (or lower surfaces) of the respective rod-shaped members may be fixed to each other, or the other may be fixed to the lower surface of one rod-shaped member. The rod-shaped member may be fixed. When connecting a pair of rod-shaped members to each other at positions where the height of the pair of rod-shaped members is different (for example, when fixing the other rod-shaped member to the lower surface of one rod-shaped member), grips provided at both ends of one rod-shaped member The length of the portion 174b in the Z-axis direction is adjusted, or a member having an upwardly convex (or downwardly convex) shape is formed so that both ends of one rod-like member have the same height as both ends of the other rod-like member. For example, it is desirable to match the positions of the lower end portions of the four gripping portions 174b in the Z-axis direction.

  Each of the four gripping portions 174b is provided with a claw portion capable of supporting the back surface of the wafer at the lower end portion thereof. Each of the four gripping portions 174b is slidable along a bar-like member to which each is attached via a drive mechanism (not shown). That is, the four grip portions 174b can be opened and closed (see FIG. 36C).

  In the present embodiment, the first unload slider drive system 180A (see FIG. 16) includes the above-described drive mechanism for opening and closing the first slider drive linear motor, the vertical drive unit 176, and the gripping unit 174b. Has been.

  The second unload slider 170B is disposed below the second slide member 175, the second slide member 175 provided on the back surface of the first arm 171 so as to be movable along the guide, and the second slide member. And a Y-shaped holding portion 177 that is moved up and down and rotated around the Z axis by a vertical movement rotation driving portion 179 provided at 175 (see, for example, FIG. 32A). The second slide member 175 incorporates a mover that constitutes a second slider driving linear motor together with the stator disposed on the first arm 171 described above.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the Y-shaped holding unit 177 is made of a thin plate member having a Y-shape in plan view, and a suction unit (not shown) that holds the wafer W on the upper surface by vacuum suction (or electrostatic suction). have. The Y-shaped holding portion 177 is somewhat smaller in the XY plane than the wafer W, and the Y-shaped tip (that is, the tip crack portion) of the wafer W is held in the state where the wafer W is held on the suction portion. Fits within the outer edge. The Y-shaped holding portion 177 is fixed to the lower end of the drive shaft of the vertical movement rotation driving portion 179 at the end opposite to the Y-shaped tip.

  In the present embodiment, the second unload slider drive system 180B (see FIG. 16) is configured including the above-described second slider drive linear motor and the vertical movement rotation drive unit 179.

  The first unload slider drive system 180A and the second unload slider drive system 180B are controlled by the main controller 20 (see FIG. 16). Note that the unloading apparatus is not limited to the above-described configuration, and any unloading apparatus may be used as long as the wafer W can be held and moved. Further, the unloading position of the wafer W is not limited between the projection optical system PL and the alignment apparatus 99. For example, the unloading position of the wafer W is opposite to the projection optical system PL with respect to the alignment apparatus 99 as in the second embodiment described later. You may unload.

  FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the input / output relationship of the main control device 20 that centrally configures the control system of the exposure apparatus 100 and performs overall control of each component. The main controller 20 includes a workstation (or a microcomputer) and the like, and comprehensively controls each part of the exposure apparatus 100. FIG. 17 shows an example of a specific configuration of the first and second fine movement stage position measurement systems 110A and 110B in FIG. FIG. 18 shows an example of the configuration of the switching unit 150A shown in FIG.

  Next, a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST in exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. During the following operation, the main controller 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 of the local liquid immersion device 8 as described above, and is directly below the front end lens 191 of the projection optical system PL. Is always filled with water. However, in the following, in order to make the explanation easy to understand, explanation regarding the control of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 is omitted. Further, the following description of the operation will be made with reference to a number of drawings, and the same members may or may not be labeled with the same members for each drawing. In other words, although the reference numerals described in the drawings are different, the drawings have the same configuration regardless of the presence or absence of the reference numerals. The same applies to each drawing used in the description so far. In FIG. 19 and subsequent figures, the measurement stage MST is shown in a simplified manner.

  Also, each head, multipoint AF system, alignment system, etc. of the first to third backside encoder systems 70A to 70C and the first to fourth topside encoder systems 80A to 80D are used or used. The state is set from the off state to the on state shortly before, but the explanation regarding this point is omitted in the following explanation of the operation.

Further, as a precondition, the switching units 150A and 150B are both set to the first mode as an example, and the switching unit 150C is set to the second mode, for example. That is, the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A, the corresponding measured value to the hybrid position signal F _H of the first back-side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A (hereinafter, unless particularly necessary, (Referred to as a measurement value of the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A) from the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B to a hybrid position signal F _H between the second backside encoder system 70B and the first topside encoder system 80B. Corresponding measurement values (hereinafter referred to as measurement values of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B unless otherwise required) are each output to the main controller 20. Further, the respective output signals (measured values) are output from the third backside encoder system 70 </ b> C and the third topside encoder system 80 </ b> C to the main controller 20.

  FIG. 19 shows a state where wafer stage WST is at loading position LP and measurement stage MST is directly under projection optical system PL. At this time, measurement arm 71B is inserted into the space of wafer stage WST, and the back surface (grating RG) of wafer table WTB faces measurement arm 71B. At this loading position LP, a new pre-exposure wafer W (here, as an example, an intermediate wafer of a lot (one lot is 25 or 50)) is placed on wafer stage WST by the following procedure. Loaded.

  At this time, the wafer W before exposure is already supported by the above-described chuck unit 120 at the loading position LP at the time before the exposure is started after completion of the stream processing described later on the previous wafer. The supporting state is maintained. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 20A, the wafer W is adsorbed in a non-contact manner at a predetermined distance (gap) by a Bernoulli chuck 124 at a predetermined height position in the loading position LP. 2 portions of the outer peripheral portion of the back surface thereof are contact-supported from below by a pair of support plates 128, and movement in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom is limited. Further, the temperature of the wafer W is adjusted to a predetermined temperature, for example, 23 ° C. by the cool plate 123.

  First, as shown in FIG. 20B, the main controller 20 raises the above-described three vertical movement pins 140 via the driving device 142. When the three vertical movement pins 140 come into contact with the back surface of the wafer W supported by the Bernoulli chuck 124, the ascent is stopped while maintaining the contact state. The three vertical movement pins 140 are pressed with a constant force in the + Z direction by a spring (not shown) when the upper end surface is located at a position other than the second position which is the lowest end position of the movement range.

  Next, main controller 20 lowers a pair of support plates 128 slightly away from the back surface of wafer W via a pair of vertical motion rotation drive units 127, as shown in FIG. To a second rotational position. Due to the separation of the pair of support plates 128 from the back surface of the wafer W, the new wafer W is shifted from the state supported by the support plate 128 to the state supported by the vertical movement pins 140. The adsorption (holding or supporting) of the wafer W by the Bernoulli chuck 124 is continued even in this state, and the frictional force due to the adsorption (holding or supporting) by the Bernoulli chuck 124 and the support from the lower side of the vertical movement pins 140 is performed. Thus, the movement of the wafer W in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom is restricted. Further, the temperature control of the wafer W by the cool plate 123 is continued.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 20D, main controller 20 controls drive unit 122 and the pair of vertical movement rotation drive units 127 to drive chuck body 130 and the pair of support plates 128 downward. . In this case, an upward force on the three vertical movement pins 140 due to the above-described spring force is applied to the wafer W as a pre-pressure. Accordingly, when the chuck body 130 is driven downward, the wafer W is pushed downward, and the three vertical movement pins 140 are pushed down against the preload. That is, in this way, the wafer W is lowered together with the chuck body 130 and the three vertical movement pins 140 while maintaining a predetermined gap with respect to the Bernoulli chuck 124. When the back surface of the wafer W comes into contact with the wafer holder (wafer table WTB), the main controller 20 releases the adsorption (holding or support) of the wafer W by the Bernoulli chuck 124 and causes the wafer W to be attracted and held by the wafer holder. As a result, the occurrence of bending of the wafer W is substantially suppressed or prevented, and the wafer W is held by the wafer holder. That is, the Bernoulli chuck 124 has not only a conveyance function but also a deflection correction (correction) function in addition to the above-described temperature control function and pre-alignment function. This deflection correction function can also be called a flattening function because the wafer W held by the wafer holder is flattened. The wafer W held by the Bernoulli chuck 124 is assumed to be substantially flat without being bent. For example, at least a part of the held wafer W is bent by the Bernoulli chuck 124. By transferring the wafer W to the wafer holder in a state, the bending of the wafer W held by the wafer holder may be suppressed or prevented as a result. In addition, a detection device (for example, the above-described gap sensor) that detects position information or deflection information in the Z direction is provided on the entire surface or a part of the wafer W held by the Bernoulli chuck 124, and the main controller 20 detects this detection. Using the result, the wafer W held by the Bernoulli chuck 124 may be kept flat without being bent, or at least part of the wafer W may be bent. Further, the suction release of the wafer W by the Bernoulli chuck 124 may be performed before the start of the suction of the wafer W by the wafer holder. For example, in order to correct the deflection (flattening) of the wafer W, the suction of the wafer W by the wafer holder is started. It may be performed simultaneously with or after the start of adsorption. Further, main controller 20 may start sucking and holding wafer W by the wafer holder simultaneously with the release of support of wafer W by three vertical movement pins 140, or wafer W by three vertical movement pins 140. Prior to releasing the support, the wafer W may be sucked and held by the wafer holder.

  Here, the main controller 20, prior to releasing the adsorption (holding or support) of the wafer W by the Bernoulli chuck 124, the wafer W whose rear surface (lower surface) is in contact (contact) with the wafer holder (wafer table WTB). A downward force from above may be applied to a part or all of the chuck by the chuck body 130. Here, a downward force means a force other than gravity. As a method of applying the downward force, for example, the flow rate and / or flow velocity of the gas ejected from the Bernoulli chuck 124 is increased, or the gap (gap) between the lower surface of the Bernoulli chuck 124 and the surface of the wafer W is set. It can be considered that the gap is narrower than a predetermined gap when the chuck body 130 is lowered. In any case, the wafer W is attracted and held by the wafer holder after a downward force is applied or while a downward force is applied. Thereby, the occurrence of bending of the wafer W held by the wafer holder is substantially suppressed or prevented.

  In addition, the main controller 20 performs the adsorption holding of the wafer W by the wafer holder with a time difference, for example, starts with a time difference from the peripheral part toward the center part, or from one side to the opposite side. Thus, the suction state by the wafer holder may be controlled so as to start with a time difference. Particularly in the latter case, the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) may be inclined in the θx and / or θy directions. By performing such suction holding of the wafer W by the wafer holder in combination with correction of the deflection of the wafer W by the Bernoulli chuck 124, the deflection of the wafer W is substantially suppressed or prevented and held by the wafer holder.

  In the present embodiment, while the chuck body 130 and the three vertical movement pins 140 are lowered, the image pickup signal of the image pickup device 129 is sent to the signal processing system 116 (see FIG. 16), and the wafer W is displaced and rotated. Information on the error is supplied to the main controller 20 (see FIG. 16). The three vertical movement pins 140 may be driven downward in synchronization with the Bernoulli chuck 124 (chuck body 130), or may be driven downward without synchronization. good. In particular, in the latter case, main controller 20 may vary the lowering speed of three vertical movement pins 140 and the lowering speed of chuck body 130 so that wafer W is flattened. In this case, for example, the above-described gap sensors are arranged at a plurality of locations on the Bernoulli chuck 124, and the main controller 20 uses the plurality of gap sensors to determine whether the wafer W is deformed (for example, whether it is convex upward). Or the like, the lowering speed of the three vertical movement pins 140 and the lowering speed of the chuck body 130 may be made different from each other according to the detection result. .

  In this embodiment, as can be seen from FIG. 20A, when the wafer table WTB returns to the loading position LP, the state where the vertical movement pins 140 are raised by a predetermined amount is maintained. The wafer can be loaded in a shorter time than when the pins 140 are housed in the wafer holder. FIG. 19 shows a state in which the wafer W is loaded on the wafer table WTB.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 19, the loading position LP is a position where the reference mark FM on the measurement plate 30 is positioned in the field of view (detection region) of the primary alignment system AL1 (that is, the primary alignment system AL1). For the first half of baseline measurement (Pri-BCHK).

  Here, the first half of Pri-BCHK means the following process. That is, main controller 20 detects (observes) reference mark FM positioned at the center of measurement plate 30 described above with primary alignment system AL1, and the detection result of primary alignment system AL1 and the fine movement stage position at the time of detection. The measurement values of the measurement system 110B are associated with each other and stored in the memory.

  In the present embodiment, the first half of the Pri-BCHK is performed at least partially in parallel with the loading operation of the wafer W.

  At this time, the measurement stage MST is engaged with the measurement arm 71A in a state where the back surface (grating RGa) of the measurement table MTB faces the measurement arm 71A. In addition, an immersion region 14 made of the liquid Lq is formed between the measurement table MTB and the projection optical system PL.

At this time, (the W ₀₎ wafer prior to the exposure is completed, at a position of a predetermined height of the standby position UL2, is held in the Y-holding portion 177 of the second unloading slider 170B. Standby state of the wafer W _0, the exposure of the next wafer W is started, the wafer stage WST, will be maintained until the state of being retracted from the lower waiting position UL2.

  Next, main controller 20 drives coarse movement stage WCS based on the measurement value of wafer stage position measurement system 16A, and the position of wafer table WTB based on the measurement value of second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. While the servo is controlled, a movement operation in the + Y direction from the loading position LP of the wafer stage WST toward the exposure station 200 is started. First, movement of wafer stage WST in the + Y direction is started toward a position where, for example, alignment marks (hereinafter abbreviated as first alignment marks) provided in three first alignment shot areas are detected. At this time, the position of wafer table WTB in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction is servo-controlled based on the measurement value of second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. The coarse movement stage WCS is driven in the XY plane based on the position information measured by the wafer stage position measurement system 16A in the exposure station 200, the measurement station 300, and any area between them. Will not be described in this regard.

  When the wafer stage WST reaches the position shown in FIG. 21, that is, the position where the detection beam from the light transmission system 90a is irradiated to the measurement plate 30 during the movement in the + Y direction, the main controller 20 reads the wafer. The stage WST is stopped and the first half of the focus calibration is performed.

That is, main controller 20 has surface positions at one end and the other end of wafer table WTB detected by the pair of XZ heads 66X ₁ , 66X _{2 of} third top side encoder system 80C described above. While detecting information (Z position information of the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ ), using the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) as a reference, the surface of the surface of the measurement plate 30 described above with reference to the reference plane obtained from the information Detect location information. As a result, the measured values of the pair of XZ heads 66X ₁ and 66X ₂ in the state where the center line of the wafer table WTB coincides with the reference axis LV described above (at the ends on one side and the other side of the wafer table WTB in the X axis direction). (Surface position information) and detection results (surface position information) at detection points on the surface of the measurement plate 30 of the multi-point AF system (90a, 90b) (detection points located at the center or in the vicinity of the plurality of detection points). A relationship is found.

In the present embodiment, the position of the wafer table WTB where the first half of the above-described focus calibration process is performed matches the position of the wafer table WTB where the process of detecting three first alignment marks is performed. Main controller 20 detects three first alignment marks almost simultaneously and individually using primary alignment system AL1, secondary alignment systems AL2 ₂ and AL2 ₃ in parallel with the first half of the focus calibration (FIG. 21). The detection result of the _three alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₂ , AL2 ₃ and the measurement value of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B at the time of the detection are associated with each other and stored in a memory (not shown). In this case, the simultaneous detection of the three first alignment marks is performed by changing the Z position of the wafer table WTB to change the wafers W mounted on the plurality of alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ and the wafer table WTB. And the relative positional relationship in the Z-axis direction (focus direction) is changed. The same applies to the detection of alignment marks attached to each alignment shot region after the second alignment shot region described below.

  If the position of wafer table WTB where the first half of the focus calibration process is performed and the position of wafer table WTB where the first alignment mark is detected do not match, main controller 20 These processes may be sequentially performed in the order of arrival of wafer table WTB at the position where each process is performed.

  Next, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST in the + Y direction (for example, toward a position for detecting alignment marks attached to five second alignment shot areas (hereinafter abbreviated as second alignment marks)). Step movement) is started.

When wafer stage WST further moves in the + Y direction and reaches the position shown in FIG. 22, five second alignment marks are detected almost simultaneously and individually using five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 _4. (Refer to the star mark in FIG. 22), and the detection results of the five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ and the measurement values of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B at the time of the detection are associated with each other and a memory (not shown) To store.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 22, the detection beam from the light transmission system 90a starts to hit the wafer W at the position where this second alignment mark is detected. Therefore, after detecting the second alignment mark, main controller 20 starts focus mapping using the four-axis heads 66 ₁ and 66 _{2 of} the third top side encoder system 80C and the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b). .

Here, focus mapping performed by the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. In this focus mapping, the main controller 20, for example, as shown in FIG. 22, uses the two four-axis heads 66 ₁ and 66 ₂ of the third top side encoder system 80 C facing the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ , respectively. Based on the measurement value, the position of the wafer table WTB in the XY plane is managed. In the state of FIG. 22, a straight line (center line) parallel to the Y axis passing through the center of wafer table WTB (substantially coincides with the center of wafer W) coincides with reference axis LV.

In this state, main controller 20 determines the surface of wafer table WTB (the surface of plate 28) measured by each of _two four-axis heads 66 ₁ and 66 ₂ while wafer stage WST is traveling in the + Y direction. ) In the X-axis direction (a pair of second water-repellent plates 28b), position information regarding the Y-axis and Z-axis directions, and the surface of the wafer W at a plurality of detection points detected by the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) Position information (surface position information) in the Z-axis direction is fetched at a predetermined sampling interval, and the fetched information is sequentially stored in a memory (not shown) in association with each other.

When the detection beam of the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) is not applied to the wafer W, the main controller 20 ends the above sampling, and the detection points for the detection points of the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) are terminated. The surface position information is converted into data based on the position information regarding the Z-axis direction measured by each of the _two 4-axis heads 66 ₁ and 66 _{2 that} are simultaneously captured.

If this further detail, based on the measurement values of Z position by one of the four axes head 66 _2, -X side end portion of the region of the plate 28 (second water repellent plate 28b of the scale 39 ₂ is formed) The surface position information at a predetermined upper point (corresponding to a point on the X axis substantially the same as the arrangement of a plurality of detection points of the multi-point AF system (90a, 90b): hereinafter, this point is referred to as a left measurement point) can get. Further, based on the measurement values of Z position by the other four axes heads 66 _1, a predetermined point on the + X side end portion of the region of the plate 28 (second water repellent plate 28b scales 39 ₁ is formed) ( Surface position information is obtained in the multi-point AF system (90a, 90b) corresponding to a point on the X-axis that is substantially the same as the arrangement of a plurality of detection points (hereinafter, this point is referred to as a right measurement point). Therefore, main controller 20 uses the surface position information at each detection point of the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) as a straight line connecting the surface position of the left measurement point and the surface position of the right measurement point (hereinafter referred to as table surface reference). (Referred to as a line) and converted into surface position data. The main control device 20 performs such conversion for the information captured at the time of all sampling.

Here, in the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, in parallel with the measurement by the third top side encoder system 80C, the Y axis direction, the Z axis direction, and the θy direction (and θz) by the third backside encoder system 70C. The position information of wafer table WTB (fine movement stage WFS) with respect to (direction) can be measured. Therefore, main controller 20 relates to the Y-axis and Z-axis directions at both ends in the X-axis direction on the surface of wafer table WTB (the surface of plate 28) measured by each of the _two four-axis heads 66 ₁ and 66 ₂ described above. The third backside encoder has the same timing as the acquisition of the position information and the position information (surface position information) regarding the Z-axis direction of the surface of the wafer W at the plurality of detection points detected by the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b). The measured values of the positions in the respective directions (Y, Z, θy (and θz)) by the system 70C are also taken in. Then, main controller 20 obtains the data (Z, θy) of the table surface reference line obtained from the measurement information of the third top side encoder system 80C and the measurement information (Z, The relationship with θy) is obtained. Thereby, the surface position data based on the above table surface reference line is determined by the Z position and θy rotation of the wafer table WTB obtained by the back surface measurement, and the reference line corresponding to the above table surface reference line (hereinafter referred to as convenience). , Referred to as back surface measurement reference line).

In this way, by previously obtaining the conversion data, for example, in the like during the exposure, the second repellent to wafer table WTB surface (scale 39 ₂ are formed in the XZ head 64X and 65X of the above point on the water plate 28b, and measures a point) on the second water repellent plate 28b of the scale 39 ₁ is formed to calculate a tilt with respect to the Z position and the XY plane of the surface position of wafer table WTB (mainly θy rotation). The surface position information on the surface of the wafer W is actually obtained by using the calculated Z position of the wafer table WTB, the inclination with respect to the XY plane, and the above-described surface position data (surface position data based on the table surface reference line). Thus, the surface position of the wafer W can be controlled. Therefore, there is no problem even if the multi-point AF system is arranged at a position distant from the projection optical system PL. Therefore, the exposure apparatus has a narrow working distance (the distance between the projection optical system PL and the wafer W during exposure). However, the focus mapping of the present embodiment can be preferably applied.

The above description is based on the assumption that there are no irregularities on the surface of wafer table WTB. However, actually, the surface of wafer table WTB, that is, the surface of second water repellent plate 28b on which scale 39 ₂ is formed, the surface of second water repellent plate 28b on which scale 39 ₁ is formed, and the like are uneven. is there. However, even when there are irregularities on the surface of wafer table WTB in this way, extremely precise surface position control is possible at points on the meridian of wafer W (a straight line parallel to the Y axis passing through the center of the wafer). Is possible.

The reason is that when focus mapping is performed (when wafer stage WST moves in the + Y direction), a shot region located on the meridian of wafer W is exposed to wafer stage WST ( The wafer table WTB) is arranged at the exposure position (below the projection optical system PL) without being moved in the X-axis direction as compared with the focus mapping. When the shot region on the meridian reaches the exposure position, the detection point is located at the X position substantially the same as the XZ head 65X ₃ and the XZ head 66X ₂ where the detection point is arranged at the substantially same X position as the XZ head 66X _1. The XZ head 64X ₂ in which the XZ head 66X ₂ is disposed detects surface position information at substantially the same point as the point on the wafer table WTB where the XZ head 66X ₁ and the XZ head 66X ₂ respectively detected surface position information during focus mapping. It becomes. That is, a reference plane (a plane in which a table plane reference line is continued in the Y-axis direction) measured by a pair of XZ heads as a reference for detecting surface position information by the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) is a focus mapping. It becomes the same at the time of exposure and at the time of exposure. For this reason, even when the surface of wafer table WTB has irregularities or undulations, when exposing a shot area on the meridian, the Z obtained at the time of focus mapping is taken into consideration without considering the irregularities and undulations. Since the position can be used as the Z position as it is, the focus control of the wafer at the time of exposure can be performed, so that highly accurate focus control is possible.

  Similarly, when the shot area on the meridian reaches the exposure position, the detection point is set on the same straight line (reference axis LV) parallel to the Y axis as the detection point of the YZ head 77a. In the three-dimensional head 73b in which the detection point is set on the same straight line parallel to the Y axis as the detection point of the YZ head 77b, the YZ head and the YZ head respectively detect the surface position information during focus mapping. A Z position at the same point as the point on the grating RG is detected, and Z and θy are calculated based on the detection result. That is, a surface (hereinafter referred to as a back surface measurement reference surface) in which the above-described back surface measurement reference line is continuous in the Y-axis direction, which is a reference for detecting surface position information by the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b), is a focus. It is calculated based on the measured value of the Z position at the same point during mapping and during exposure.

  When exposing a shot area other than on the meridian, if the surface of the wafer table WTB has no irregularities and undulations, it is possible to ensure the same focus control accuracy as the shot area on the meridian, but the surface of the wafer table WTB When there is unevenness or waviness, the focus control accuracy depends on the traverse check accuracy described later.

  In the present embodiment, when the wafer stage WST reaches the position where the second alignment mark is detected, the detection beam from the light transmission system 90a starts to hit the wafer W, so focus mapping is started at that position. . However, prior to detection of the second alignment mark, when the detection beam from the light transmission system 90a starts to hit the wafer W before or after the wafer stage WST reaches the position for detecting the second alignment mark, Alternatively, the focus mapping may be started when the detection beam starts to hit the wafer W with a delay.

Return to the explanation of parallel operation. When wafer stage WST reaches the position shown in FIG. 23 by movement of wafer stage WST for focus mapping in the + Y direction, main controller 20 stops wafer stage WST at that position. Then, main controller 20 uses, for example, five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ to substantially simultaneously align alignment marks (hereinafter abbreviated as third alignment marks) attached to five third alignment shot regions, and Detected individually (see the star mark in FIG. 23), the detection results of the five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ and the measurement values of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B at the time of detection are associated with each other. Store in the illustrated memory. Also at this point, focus mapping continues.

  Next, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST in the + Y direction toward a position where, for example, alignment marks (hereinafter abbreviated as force alignment marks) provided in three force alignment shot areas are detected. Start. At this time, the focus mapping is continued.

Then, when wafer stage WST reaches the position shown in FIG. 24, main controller 20 immediately stops wafer stage WST and uses wafers on wafer W using primary alignment system AL1, secondary alignment systems AL2 ₂ and AL2 _3. These three force alignment marks are detected almost simultaneously and individually (see the star mark in FIG. 24), the detection results of the _three alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₂ and AL2 ₃ and the second fine movement stage position measurement at the time of detection. The measured values of the system 110B are associated with each other and stored in a memory (not shown).

  Then, main controller 20 uses, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,780, the measurement result of the total of 16 alignment marks obtained in this way and the corresponding measurement value of second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. Statistical calculation is performed by the EGA method disclosed in the specification of No. 617, and EGA parameters (X offset, Y offset, orthogonality, wafer rotation, wafer X scaling, wafer Y scaling, etc.) are calculated.

  After the above-described wafer alignment (at least the process until the position measurement of the force alignment mark) is completed, main controller 20 moves the position shown in FIG. 27, that is, wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, with respect to the Y-axis direction. Wafer stage WST is moved to the start position of contact or a state of being close to each other with a separation distance of, for example, about 300 μm (hereinafter referred to as contact or close state). This movement is performed by main controller 20 moving wafer stage WST at a high speed in a short stroke in the + Y direction in a state where liquid does not touch wafer table WTB. Further, during this movement, wafer stage WST deviates from the measurement range of second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. Therefore, main controller 20 performs measurement used for servo control of the position of wafer table WTB prior to that. The system is switched from the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B to the fourth top side encoder system 80D.

  Main controller 20 continues the focus mapping immediately after the start of high-speed movement of wafer stage WST in the + Y direction with the above-described long stroke. When the detection beam from the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) deviates from the surface of the wafer W, the focus mapping is ended as shown in FIG.

  During the process of performing alignment measurement and focus mapping while moving the wafer stage WST linearly in the + Y direction (hereinafter referred to as stream process), the main controller 20 determines the coordinates of the first backside encoder system 70A described above. Similarly to the refresh of the system and the refresh of the coordinate system of the first top side encoder system 80A, the refresh of the coordinate system of the second back side encoder system 70B and the refresh of the coordinate system of the second top side encoder system 80B are performed. .

  Incidentally, it is the second backside encoder system 70B that dominates the attitude of the wafer table WTB in the measurement station 300 such as during alignment. However, for the same reason as described for the first backside encoder system 70A, long-term stability in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the coordinate system of the second backside encoder system 70B cannot be expected. However, variations in the global position in the θy direction (rolling amount) and the position in the θz direction (yawing amount) affect the alignment measurement results. Therefore, main controller 20 starts post-stream processing, which will be described below, when stream processing ends during high-speed movement of wafer stage WST in the + Y direction with the above-described long stroke. Alignment calculation using the result (calculation of array coordinates of all shot areas on the wafer using EGA parameters) and correction of the back surface measurement reference plane included in the focus mapping result are performed.

Here, post-stream processing refers to the following error factor parameters a. ~ C. In the following d. Means the arithmetic processing to be replaced with the offsets of θy, θz, and scaling in the X-axis direction, which will be described later.
a. Global θy offset: position in the θy direction of the wafer table (θy rotation amount) obtained by back surface measurement using the third backside encoder system 70C included in the focus mapping result
b. Global θz offset: orthogonality included in EGA parameters / wafer rotation c. Global X-axis scaling offset: Wafer X-axis scaling included in EGA parameters d. The second top side encoder system 80B and the third top side encoder system 80C are offset from θy, θz, and X-axis direction scaling calculated from the average of all data observed during the stream processing. The distance (axis interval) between the XZ heads 67X ₂ and 68X ₂ or the XZ heads 67X ₃ and 68X ₃ used for alignment measurement is considered to be unchanged, and based on this distance, the second backside encoder system 70B slides relative to the coordinate system. The lattice spacing of the scales 39 ₁ , 39 ₂ of the second top side encoder system 80B that has been aligned is measured with the XZ heads 67X ₂ , 68X ₂ or 67X ₃ , 68X ₃ , and the magnification of the lattice spacing with respect to the above-mentioned reference is calculated. X-axis direction scaling.

The post-stream treatment as described above, resulting in rather than resetting the attitude of wafer table WTB using the measurement results in a particular point on the scale 39 _1, 39 _2, the scale 39 _1, 39 ₂ entirely The average attitude of the wafer table WTB obtained from the average of the measurement results is determined by the alignment calculation (of the EGA parameters, the orthogonality / wafer rotation, the wafer X-axis direction scaling are the above-mentioned d. Θz and X-axis It is used for calculation of the array coordinates of all shot areas on the wafer using the EGA arithmetic expression replaced with direction scaling. The result of the alignment calculation is more reliable than the case where the posture is reset by using the measurement result at one specific point on the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ due to the averaging effect.

The reason why the position measurement in the θz direction and the θy direction in the stream processing is not performed using only the top side encoder system is as follows. ~ H. It is as follows.
e. In this case, alignment (and focus mapping) is performed only for the top side encoder system, and exposure is performed at the center of the back side encoder system.
f. Even if it is only a narrow band-shaped part (a band-shaped part having the same width as the interval between the detection points of the three-dimensional heads 75a and 75b in the X-axis direction), it is better to use the backside encoder system for alignment. it is conceivable that.
g. The accuracy of refresh processing of the coordinate system of the backside encoder system can be expected. As a result, it is always possible to maintain an accurate grid and flat plane. In that case, it is better to use the backside encoder system as a reference even if the measurement of a narrow band-like portion can remove even the offset of θy and θz.
h. The topside encoder system reflects the information of the backside encoder system, but is not perfect in terms of accuracy.

  Next, the traverse check will be described. First, an error factor peculiar to stream processing, which is a main factor that requires a traverse check, will be described.

  In the stream processing, as is apparent from the above description, since the wafer stage WST moves on a straight line parallel to the Y axis, the wafer table (fine movement stage WFS) positional information (X, Y, Z) cannot be acquired. Therefore, the above-described ΔX / δx, ΔY / δx, and ΔZ / δx cannot be acquired even in the refresh of the coordinate system of the second backside encoder system 70B. That is, at the time of exposure, the coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A is refreshed in real time by the above-described refresh of the coordinate system, and the grid error is corrected in real time in the entire coordinate system. Even if the coordinate system of the second backside encoder system 70B is refreshed, the coordinate system is not updated except on the straight line in the Y-axis direction passing through the center of the wafer in the X-axis direction. The portion other than the straight line is not corrected in real time. As a result, an error occurs between the alignment coordinate system in which the position of the wafer stage is managed during alignment and the exposure coordinate system in which the position of the wafer stage is managed during exposure. That is, this is an error factor specific to stream processing.

  Therefore, main controller 20 performs the following traverse check at a predetermined frequency (frequency as necessary) while processing 25 or 50 wafers in the lot.

In the traverse check, main controller 20 determines the measurement value of second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B when wafer stage WST reaches, for example, the position shown in FIG. 28 in the Y-axis direction during the above-described stream processing. Based on the above, the position of the wafer table WTB in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction is managed so that the wafer stage WST is within a predetermined range in the X-axis direction (the center line of the wafer table WTB has a predetermined width (scale The center of the wafer W is step-driven with a width of 39 ₁ , 39 _{2 and} a width that is wider than the distance between the detection areas of the alignment systems AL2 ₁ , AL2 ₄ ). the same alignment marks located in the vicinity, to sequentially measured using five alignment systems _AL1, AL2 1 AL24 ₄ . In addition, main controller 20 moves the regions (scales 39 ₁ and 39 _{2) on the} surface of the pair of second water repellent plates 28b of wafer table WTB at a predetermined sampling interval during movement of wafer stage WST in the X-axis direction. The measurement values of the pair of XZ heads 66X ₁ and 66X ₂ for detecting the surface position information of the front surface and the detection values of the surface position information of the wafer W by the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) are simultaneously captured.

By such a traverse check, the coordinate system of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B (the coordinate system of the second top side encoder system 80A and the coordinate system of the second back side encoder system 70A) and the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) and the relationship with the alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ can be calibrated. Specifically, it is as follows.
A. By moving wafer stage WST in the X-axis direction within the predetermined range, position information (X, Y, Z) of wafer table WTB (fine movement stage WFS) at a different point in the X-axis direction can be acquired. Also in the refresh of the coordinate system of the backside encoder system 70B, the above-described ΔX / δx, ΔY / δx, and ΔZ / δx can be obtained. As a result, the coordinate system of the second backside encoder system 70B can be refreshed, and this The result of the refresh of the coordinate system of the second top side encoder system 80B based on is more accurate.
B. By measuring the same alignment mark located near the center of the wafer W, the positional relationship between the primary alignment system AL1 and the secondary alignment systems AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ , that is, the secondary alignment systems AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ . A baseline is obtained on the coordinate system of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B.
C. The relationship between the surface position information for each detection point of the multi-point AF system (90a, 90b) and the measured values (surface position information) of the pair of XZ heads 66X ₁ and 66X ₂ simultaneously acquired is obtained for different sampling times. , the plurality of relations obtained, unevenness related to the X-axis direction of the scale 39 _1, 39 ₂ surface is determined on the coordinate system of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. However, in order to accurately obtain the irregularities in the X-axis direction of the surfaces of the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ , the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) needs to have an inter-sensor offset adjusted in advance.

Then, main controller 20 performs alignment with respect to the exposure position of wafer table WTB using the baselines of the secondary alignment systems AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ at the time of exposure, which will be described later. The focus control of the wafer W is performed while considering information and the like as a correction amount.

  In other words, in the present embodiment, main controller 20 actually moves wafer stage WST in the X-axis direction, as described above, to position error of wafer table WTB due to the above-described error factors specific to stream processing. Correct with.

In parallel with the above-mentioned post-stream treatment, in FIG. 25 as indicated by the dashed arrows, the operation for loading the next wafer under the above-mentioned chuck unit 120 (the wafer W _1), the following The procedure is as follows.

  As a premise for starting the wafer carry-in, as shown in FIG. 25, the wafer stage WST on which the wafer W before exposure is mounted is at a position completely deviated from the loading position LP (the + Y side position of the loading position LP). . At this time, the pair of support plates 128 are at the above-described second rotational position as shown in FIG.

First, main controller 20 drives wafer transfer arm 132, the new (pre-exposure) the wafer W _1, from an external device to the loading position LP Verne - a pair of drive shafts 126 of the lower Lee chuck 124 (See FIG. 26A).

Next, main controller 20, the chuck body to control the driving unit 122 and the wafer transfer arm 132 of the chuck unit 120, a Bernoulli chuck 124 and a new wafer W ₁ is predetermined distance, for example, about several μm At least one of 130 and wafer transfer arm 132 is driven in the Z-axis direction (see the white arrow in FIG. 26A). The distance between the Bernoulli chuck 124 as a new wafer W ₁ is measured by the gap sensor (not shown) described above.

Verne - the distance Lee chuck 124 and the new wafer W ₁ becomes a predetermined distance, the main controller 20, as shown in FIG. 26 (B), Berne - Lee chuck 124 and a new wafer W1 The flow rate of the air blown out from the Bernoulli chuck 124 is adjusted so as to maintain a predetermined distance (gap). Thus, through the several μm order of the gap (gap clearance), the wafer W ₁ is Berne - suction is held in a non-contact from above by Lee chuck 124. When the wafer W ₁ is sucked and held by the Bernoulli chuck 124, the temperature of the wafer W ₁ is adjusted to a predetermined temperature via the cool plate 123.

Wafer W ₁ is Berne - Lee when the chuck 124 is held by suction, the main controller 20, as shown in FIG. 26 (C), a pair through a pair of vertical movement the rotary drive unit 127 supporting plate 128 Is rotated integrally with the shaft 126 to the first rotation position, and the chuck body 130 and the pair of support plates 128 are relatively driven in the Z-axis direction by a predetermined amount in the direction in which the chuck body 130 and the pair of support plates 128 approach each other. The back surface of ₁ is contact-supported.

Then, main controller 20, as shown in FIG. 26 (D), the wafer transfer arm 132 is separated from the wafer _{W 1,} is retracted from the loading position LP. At this time, the movement of the new wafer W ₁ in the direction of six degrees of freedom is restricted by the Bernoulli chuck 124 and the pair of support plates 128. Note that the spacing from the wafer W ₁ of the wafer transfer arm 132, the contact with the wafer W ₁ of the pair of support plates 128, the order may be reversed. Anyway, the wafer W _1, the front ends exposed wafer W is, wafer stage WST returns to the loading position LP, until the load the wafer W ₁ is started, that the supporting state is maintained It becomes.

  Returning to the description of the parallel processing operation again. When wafer stage WST reaches the position shown in FIG. 27 due to the high-speed movement of wafer stage WST in the + Y direction with the above-described long stroke, measurement stage MST and wafer stage WST shift to a state of contact or proximity. In this contact or proximity state, the −Y side end surface of the measurement table MTB and the + Y side end surface of the wafer table WTB are in contact with or close to each other. Main controller 20 drives both stages WST and MST in the + Y direction while maintaining the contact or close state. With this movement, the water in the immersion area 14 moves from the measurement table MTB to the wafer table WTB.

  Then, when both stages WST and MST reach a position where measurement plate 30 shown in FIG. 29 is arranged immediately below projection optical system PL, main controller 20 stops both stages WST and MST, and Pri− The second half of BCHK and the second half of focus calibration are performed.

  Here, the processing of the latter half of the Pri-BCHK is a projection image (spatial image) of a pair of measurement marks on the reticle R (or a mark plate (not shown) on the reticle stage RST) projected by the projection optical system PL. It means the process of measuring using the aerial image measuring device 45 including the measurement plate 30 described above. In this case, a pair of measurements is performed in a slit scan type aerial image measurement operation using a pair of aerial image measurement slit patterns SL as in the method disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0041377. Each aerial image of the mark is measured, and the measurement result (aerial image intensity corresponding to the XY position of wafer table WTB) is stored in the memory. In the processing of the latter half of the Pri-BCHK, the position of the wafer table WTB in the XY plane is measured and controlled based on the measurement value of the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A.

The process in the latter half of the focus calibration is the surface position information measured by a pair of XZ heads 65X ₂ and 64X ₃ that measure surface position information at one end and the other end of the wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction. Is used as a reference to control the position (Z position) in the optical axis direction of the projection optical system PL of the measurement plate 30 (wafer table WTB), and the aerial image of the measurement mark on the reticle R using the aerial image measurement device 45 Is measured by the slit scan method, and the best focus position of the projection optical system PL is measured based on the measurement result.

  At this time, since the liquid immersion area 14 is formed between the projection optical system PL and the measurement plate 30 (wafer table WTB), the measurement of the aerial image is performed via the projection optical system PL and the liquid Lq. Is called. Further, since the measurement plate 30 and the like of the aerial image measurement device 45 are mounted on the wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB) and the light receiving element and the like are mounted on the measurement stage MST, the measurement of the aerial image described above is performed on the wafer stage WST. And the measurement stage MST are performed while maintaining the contact or proximity state.

As a result of the above measurement, the measured values of the pair of XZ heads 65X ₂ and 64X ₃ in a state where the center line of the wafer table WTB coincides with the reference axis LV (that is, the one side and the other side of the X direction of the wafer table WTB). Surface position information at the end) is obtained. This measurement value corresponds to the best focus position of the projection optical system PL.

After performing the processing of the latter half of the above-described Pri-BCHK and the processing of the second half of the focus calibration, the main control device 20 is based on the result of the processing of the first half of the above-described Pri-BCHK and the result of the processing of the second half of the Pri-BCHK. Thus, the baseline of the primary alignment system AL1 is calculated. At the same time, the main controller 20 measures the measurement values of the pair of XZ heads 66X ₁ and 66X ₂ in a state where the center line of the wafer table WTB coincides with the reference axis LV obtained in the first half of the focus calibration. (Surface position information at one end and the other end of the wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction) and detection points on the surface of the measurement plate 30 of the multi-point AF system (90a, 90b) The center line of the wafer table WTB corresponding to the best focus position of the projection optical system PL obtained in the latter half of the focus calibration described above and the relationship with the detection result (surface position information) at the detection point located in the vicinity thereof a pair of XZ head _65X 2, 64X ₃ measurements (i.e., a wafer in a state but matching the reference axis LV The offset at the representative detection point of the multi-point AF system (90a, 90b) is obtained based on the X-axis direction one side of the table WTB and the surface position information on the other side end), and the offset becomes zero. Thus, the detection origin of the multipoint AF system is adjusted by the optical method described above.

  In this case, from the viewpoint of throughput improvement, only one of the latter half of the above Pri-BCHK and the latter half of the focus calibration may be performed, or the process proceeds to the next process without performing both processes. May be. Of course, when the second half of Pri-BCHK is not performed, the first half of Pri-BCHK need not be performed.

  When the above operations are completed, main controller 20 drives measurement stage MST in the + X direction and the + Y direction as shown in FIG. 30 to release the contact or proximity state of both stages WST and MST.

Then, main controller 20 performs step-and-scan exposure and transfers the reticle pattern onto new wafer W. In this exposure operation, the main controller 20 uses a result of wafer alignment (EGA) performed in advance (an average posture obtained from an average of measurement results on the entire surfaces of the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ described above for alignment calculation. Based on the latest coordinates of the alignment system AL1 (and AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ ) and the like for the exposure of each shot area on the wafer W. This is performed by repeating the inter-shot movement for moving the wafer stage WST to the start position (acceleration start position) and the scanning exposure for transferring the pattern formed on the reticle R to each shot area by the scanning exposure method. The above exposure operation is performed in a state where the liquid (water) Lq is held between the front lens 191 and the wafer W.

  In the present embodiment, as an example, the first shot area to be exposed first is defined as the shot area located at the + Y end of the −X side half of the wafer W. Therefore, wafer stage WST is moved in the + X direction and the + Y direction as indicated by the black arrows in FIG.

  Then, while moving wafer stage WST along the path as indicated by the black arrow in FIG. 31, the −X side half area of the wafer is exposed in the order from the + Y side shot area to the −Y side shot area. To do.

When the wafer stage WST moves in the + Y direction along the path indicated by the black arrow in FIG. 31 for the above-described exposure of the half-X region of the wafer W, the wafer exposed at the standby position UP2 even when the second unloading slider 170B Y-holding portion 177 is lowered holding the W _0, the risk of interference between the wafer stage WST is eliminated. Therefore, at this time point, main controller 20 transfers wafer W ₀ held by Y-shaped holding portion 177 to the wafer transfer system in the following procedure, as shown in FIG. Transport to.

That is, main controller 20 places Y-shaped holding portion 177 holding wafer W ₀ via second unload slider drive system 180B as indicated by the black arrow in FIG. After the fixed amount lowering drive, as shown by the black arrow in FIG. 32C, the drive is performed along the first arm 171 in the −Y direction (see the white arrow in FIG. 31). During this drive, when the wafer W ₀ to the position shown by a broken line in FIG. 31 is reached, it may interfere with the wafer W ₀ the lift head portion 62E and the like also is eliminated. Therefore, after that time, main controller 20 holds wafer W ₀ via second unload slider drive system 180B as indicated by two black arrows in FIG. 32D. The character holder 177 is moved up to a delivery position with the wafer transfer system while being raised by a predetermined amount. In this way, the wafer W ₀ is conveyed to the transfer position of the wafer transport system.

In parallel with conveyance of the transfer position of the wafer W ₀ described above, the main controller 20, 33, along a path as indicated by the black arrow in FIG. 34, the wafer W while moving the wafer stage WST The + X side half area is exposed in the order of the -Y side shot area to the + Y side shot area. As a result, when exposure of all shot areas on wafer W is completed, wafer stage WST has returned to a position substantially the same as the position before the start of exposure.

  In the present embodiment, the above-described exposure sequence of the shot areas is adopted. However, the entire length of the path along which the wafer stage WST moves for the exposure is such that a wafer having the same size is exposed according to the same shot map. In this case, for example, it is not much different from the conventional immersion scanner disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843.

During the exposure described above, the measurement value of the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A, that is, the measurement value of the four-axis heads 65 and 64 respectively facing the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ , that is, 6 by the first top side encoder system 80A described above. Among the measurement results (position measurement values) of the position information in the direction of freedom and the measurement results (position measurement values) of the position information in the six degrees of freedom direction by the first backside encoder system 70A, the measurement values with high reliability are described above. Is supplied to the main controller 20 as a hybrid position signal, and servo control of the position of the wafer table WTB is performed based on the position information regarding the six degrees of freedom direction of the wafer table WTB obtained from the hybrid position signal. In addition, the Z-axis position, θy rotation and θx rotation control (focus / leveling control of the wafer W) of the wafer table WTB during the exposure are performed as a result of the above-described focus mapping (the scale reference plane is changed). This is performed based on surface position information as a reference or surface position information based on a back surface measurement reference surface corrected using a post-stream processing result.

The main controller 20 also refreshes the coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A by the difference measurement using the measurement value of the redundant axis described above during the exposure at a predetermined sampling interval, and the refreshed first performing backside encoder system 70A refresh coordinate system to the scale 39 _1, 39 the coordinate system by keying sliding the _second grid of the first top side encoder system 80A of the at least once.

  When the wafer stage WST moves in the X-axis direction during the above-described step-and-scan exposure operation, the head switching (measurement between a plurality of heads) of the first top side encoder system 80A is accompanied by the movement. Value takeover). Thus, main controller 20 performs stage control by appropriately switching the encoder of first top side encoder system 80A to be used according to the position coordinates of wafer stage WST.

In parallel with the exposure of the shot area on the + X side half of the wafer described above, the exposed wafer W ₀ transferred to the transfer position is transferred to the outside of the apparatus by a transfer robot (not shown). (Not shown).

  When the exposure of wafer W is completed, main controller 20 drives measurement stage MST in the XY plane as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. 34 based on the measurement value of measurement stage position measurement system 16B. Thus, wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, which are separated from each other during exposure, are shifted to the above-described contact or proximity state. At the time of this contact or transition to a close state, the measurement stage MST is engaged with the measurement arm 71A from the side (side). In order to enable the measurement stage MST to be engaged with the measurement arm 71A from the side, the measurement table MTB of the measurement stage MST is cantilevered on a support portion 62 on the slider portion 60.

  Then, main controller 20 moves both stages WST and MST in the −Y direction while maintaining the above-described contact or proximity as shown in FIG. As a result, the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) formed under the projection unit PU is moved (delivered) from the wafer table WTB to the measurement table MTB.

  At the stage when the transfer of the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) from the wafer table WTB to the measurement table MTB is completed, the main controller 20 provides the position of the measurement table MTB on the back surface of the measurement table MTB. Based on the measurement value of the first backside encoder system 70A using the grating RGa, it is possible to control via the measurement table drive system 52B (see FIG. 16). Therefore, main controller 20 can perform a measurement operation related to necessary exposure while controlling the position of the measurement table MTB in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction.

After the transition to the above-mentioned contact or proximity state, wafer stage WST is moved to the first fine movement stage position measurement system immediately before the movement of liquid immersion region 14 (liquid Lq) from wafer table WTB to measurement table MTB is completed. The position of the wafer table WTB cannot be measured by the first top side encoder system 80A and the first back side encoder system 70A outside the measurement range of 110A. Immediately before that, main controller 20 changes the position measurement system used for servo control of the position of wafer table WTB from first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A to fourth top side encoder system 80D (three-dimensional heads 79 ₁ and 79 _2. ).

  Thereafter, wafer stage WST is driven by main controller 20 toward unloading position UP1. Thereby, after the above-mentioned contact or proximity state is released, wafer stage WST moves to unloading position UP1. Since this movement is performed without the liquid Lq touching the wafer table WTB, it can be performed in a short time by high acceleration, for example, two-stage acceleration. When wafer stage WST reaches unloading position UP1, main controller 20 unloads exposed wafer W from wafer stage WST in the following procedure.

  That is, after the main controller 20 releases the wafer W that has been exposed by the wafer holder, the main controller 20 drives the three vertical movement pins 140 upward by a predetermined amount as indicated by the black arrows in FIG. Wafer W is lifted. The positions of the three vertical movement pins at this time are maintained until the wafer stage WST reaches the loading position LP and loading of the next wafer is started.

  Next, main controller 20 moves wafer holding portion 174 of first unload slider 170A by a predetermined amount via first unload slider drive system 180A, as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. Drive down. As a result, the main body 174 a of the wafer gripping part 174 approaches the wafer W to a position at a predetermined distance. At this time, the four gripping portions 174b of the wafer gripping portion 174 are open. Therefore, main controller 20 closes four gripping portions 174b via first unload slider drive system 180A as shown by black arrows in FIG. 36C, and white arrows in FIG. 36D. As shown, the wafer gripping portion 174 is driven up to a predetermined height position. Accordingly, the wafer W is lifted by the four gripping portions 174b of the wafer gripping portion 174 in a state where the four portions of the outer peripheral portion on the back surface are supported from below. Thereby, the unloading of the wafer W is completed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 37, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST linearly at high speed in a long step toward loading position LP. During this driving, wafer stage WST is out of the measurement range, and the position of wafer table WTB cannot be measured by fourth top side encoder system 80D. Therefore, main controller 20 uses a position measurement system used for servo control of the position of wafer table WTB from fourth top side encoder system 80D before wafer stage WST is out of the measurement range of fourth top side encoder system 80D. It is switched to the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B.

  In parallel with the movement of wafer stage WST to loading position LP, main controller 20 causes the first level of unloading position UP1 at a predetermined height, as schematically shown by the white arrow in FIG. The wafer W held by the wafer gripping part 174 of the 1 unload slider 170A is moved to the standby position UP2. This movement is performed by the main controller 20 in the following procedure.

  That is, main controller 20 changes first unload slider 170A holding wafer W by wafer gripping portion 174 into first unload slider drive system, as indicated by a black arrow in FIG. It is moved along the second arm 172 to the position just above the Y-shaped holding portion 177 in the vicinity of the lower limit movement position at the standby position UP2 via 180A. Then, as indicated by a black arrow in FIG. 38B, main controller 20 moves wafer W gripping part 174 holding wafer W through, for example, first unload slider drive system 180A to wafer W. Is driven downward until the back surface of the Y contacts the suction part of the Y-shaped holding part 177. Alternatively, the main controller 20 holds the Y shape until the suction portion of the Y shape holding portion 177 contacts the back surface of the wafer W held by the wafer gripping portion 174 via, for example, the second unload slider drive system 180B. The part 177 may be driven upward.

  When the back surface of the wafer W comes into contact with the suction portion of the Y-shaped holding portion 177, the main controller 20 passes through the first unload slider drive system 180A as indicated by a black arrow in FIG. While opening the four gripping portions 174b, the wafer gripping portion 174 is driven upward by a predetermined amount as indicated by a black arrow in FIG. As a result, the wafer W is transferred from the wafer gripping part 174 to the Y-shaped holding part 177.

  Thereafter, main controller 20 places first unload slider 170A (wafer gripping portion 174) in the unloading position via first unload slider drive system 180A, as indicated by a black arrow in FIG. While returning to UP1, as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. 38 (E), the Y-shaped holding portion 177 for sucking and holding the wafer W from below is raised to a position at a predetermined height of the standby position UP2. This wafer W is exposed to the Y-shaped holding portion 177 at a predetermined height of the standby position UP2 until exposure of the next wafer is started and the wafer stage WST is retracted from below the standby position UP2. The held state is maintained.

  As a result, a series (one cycle) of processing for one wafer is completed, and thereafter the same operation is repeatedly executed.

  As described above in detail, the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment holds the placed wafer and has a fine movement stage WFS having a wafer holder (not shown) that can move along the XY plane, and the loading position LP. The chuck unit 120 having a chuck body 130 that can hold the wafer in a non-contact manner from above and can be moved up and down, and a fine movement stage WFS. The vertical movement pins 140 are provided. In addition, the chuck unit 120 supports the wafer held on the upper surface by the chuck body 130 (Bernoulli chuck 124) from above before the wafer is supported by the three vertical movement pins 140 from below. A pair of support plates 128 are provided that are in contact with and hold a part of the part to be removed (for example, the lower surface (back surface)).

  Prior to loading the wafer onto the wafer table WTB, the main controller 20 holds the wafer in a non-contact manner from above by the chuck body 130 (Bernoulli chuck 124) above the loading position LP. A pair of support plates 128 are brought into contact with a part of the lower surface (back surface). As a result, the movement of the wafer is limited with respect to the direction of six degrees of freedom. The chuck unit 120 maintains this state until the wafer stage WST returns to the loading position LP.

  When wafer stage WST returns to loading position LP, main controller 20 supports the wafer held by chuck body 130 (Bernoulli chuck 124) from below by three vertical movement pins 140, and a pair of pairs. The contact holding on the wafer by the support plate 128 is released. Immediately thereafter, the main controller 20 maintains the wafer holding state by the chuck main body 130 (Bernoulli chuck 124) and the wafer supporting state by the three vertical movement pins 140, while the lower surface of the wafer is the fine movement stage WFS ( When the chuck body 130 and the three vertical movement pins 140 are lowered until they contact a wafer holder (not shown) (vacuum chuck or the like) on the wafer table WTB), the wafer lower surface comes into contact with the wafer holder (vacuum chuck or the like). The support by the three vertical movement pins 140 and the holding of the wafer by the chuck main body 130 (Bernoulli chuck 124) are released.

  Therefore, according to the exposure apparatus 100, it is possible to carry the wafer onto the wafer table WTB without misalignment (with good reproducibility) while maintaining high flatness. Further, main controller 20 drives fine movement stage WFS based on the position information measured by first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A described above during wafer exposure. Therefore, high-precision exposure can be performed on the wafer loaded without positional deviation while maintaining high flatness on fine movement stage WFS.

  Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the chuck body 130 includes the Bernoulli chuck 124 that holds the wafer in a non-contact manner and the cool plate 123 that controls the temperature of the wafer. The temperature is adjusted to the target temperature until the holding by is released. Thereby, the temperature control state of the target temperature of the wafer is maintained until the loading onto wafer table WTB is completed.

  The exposure apparatus 100 includes a measurement system that is provided in the chuck main body 130 and includes three image sensors and a signal processing system 116 for measuring wafer position information (center position (deviation), rotation position (deviation)). During the lowering operation of the chuck body 130, the wafer position information is measured by the measurement system including the three imaging elements and the signal processing system 116 until the lower surface of the wafer comes into contact with the wafer holder (vacuum chuck or the like). As a result, even when the wafer is loaded on the wafer table WTB, it is possible to measure the wafer misalignment and rotation error. The main controller 20 considers this measurement information as wafer position correction information. By doing so, it is possible to realize more accurate position control (including positioning) of the wafer W during alignment and / or exposure.

Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the wafer stage WST is moved in the + Y direction toward the exposure station 200 from the loading position LP set on one side (−Y side) of the measurement station 300 in the Y-axis direction. When a plurality of (for example, 16) alignment marks on the wafer are detected by the plurality of alignment systems ALG1, ALG2 _{1 to} ALG2 _{4 in} the middle of the movement path, the detection of the plurality of marks is completed. In the meantime, the positional relationship in the Y-axis direction between the projection optical system PL and the plurality of alignment systems ALG1, ALG2 _{1 to} ALG2 ₄ is set so that no part of the wafer stage WST covers the liquid immersion region 14. Further, since the above-described stream processing including the above-described focus mapping in addition to the above-described alignment measurement is performed without the liquid touching the wafer table WTB, the wafer table WTB (wafer stage WST) is moved at high speed and high acceleration. However, stream processing can be performed.

  Further, since the unloading position UP1 is set between the exposure position and the alignment position, after the exposure of the wafer is completed, the exposed wafer is immediately unloaded from the wafer table WTB and then returned to the loading position LP. be able to. After the exposure is completed, after the immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) is transferred to the measurement table MTB, the wafer table WTB returns to the unloading position UP1 and further to the loading position LP without touching the liquid. Therefore, movement of wafer table WTB at this time can be performed at high speed and with high acceleration. Furthermore, since the loading position LP is set on a straight line connecting the exposure position and the alignment position, and the first half of the Pri-BCHK is performed at this position, the stream is immediately streamed after loading the wafer onto the wafer table WTB. Processing can be started.

  Further, the exposure order of the plurality of shot areas on the wafer W is such that the exposure is performed in the order of the shot area from the + Y side to the −Y side in the −X side half (or + X side half) and then the + X side half (or −X). Since the exposure is performed in the order of the shot area from the -Y side to the + Y side in the X-side half), the wafer table WTB is positioned closest to the unloading position UP1 when the exposure is completed. Therefore, the wafer table WTB can be moved to the unloading position UP1 in the shortest time after the exposure is completed.

Further, according to exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, when exposure stage 200 has wafer stage WST, wafer table WTB (fine movement stage WFS) that is held by coarse movement stage WCS so as to be movable in directions of six degrees of freedom. The first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A that measures the position in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom irradiates the grating RG provided on the back surface (the surface on the −Z side) of the wafer table WTB with the measurement beam from below, thereby causing the wafer table WTB The first backside encoder system 70A for measuring position information in the direction of six degrees of freedom and the head portions 62A and 62C provided on the main frame BD, and a pair provided on the wafer table WTB from the head portions 62A and 62C. The measurement beam is irradiated to the scales 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ (two-dimensional grating) of A first top side encoder system 80A that measures position information of the air table WTB in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction. When the above-described switching unit 150A is set to the first mode, main controller 20 determines that wafer table WTB is within the predetermined range in exposure station 200 (the exposure of wafer W held on wafer table WTB). Therefore, when moving the wafer table WTB), for example, at the time of exposure, the position information by the first backside encoder system 70A and the position information by the first topside encoder system 80A having the higher reliability The wafer table WTB is driven based on the position information. This driving is performed by main controller 20 driving coarse movement stage WCS via coarse movement stage drive system 51A and servo driving wafer table WTB via fine movement stage drive system 52A.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first mode setting switching unit 150A, the main controller 20, based on position information corresponding to the hybrid position signal F _H described above, the wafer table WTB, within the predetermined range As a result, the wafer table WTB is driven on the basis of the position information with the higher reliability out of the position information by the first backside encoder system 70A and the position information by the first topside encoder system 80A. Drive within the predetermined range. Therefore, it becomes possible to drive the wafer table WTB with high accuracy within the predetermined range in the exposure station 200 based on position information that is always highly reliable.

In addition, according to exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, when wafer stage WST is present at measurement station 300, wafer table WTB (fine movement stage WFS) that is held by coarse movement stage WCS so as to be movable in directions of six degrees of freedom is provided. The second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B that measures the position in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom irradiates the grating RG provided on the back surface (the surface on the −Z side) of the wafer table WTB with the measurement beam from below, and thereby sets the wafer table WTB. Corresponds to a predetermined range in the measurement station 300 (corresponding to a range in the measurement station 300 including at least a range in which the wafer table WTB moves for the above-described stream processing and traverse check, for example, the predetermined range in the exposure station 200. Range in the measuring station 300) The second backside encoder system 70B that measures position information of the wafer table WTB in the six degrees of freedom direction when moving, and the head portions 62F and 62E provided on the main frame BD, the head portions 62F and 62E A pair of scales 39 ₁ , 39 ₂ (two-dimensional grating) on wafer table WTB is irradiated with a measurement beam, and position information of wafer table WTB in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction is obtained by the second backside encoder system 70B. A second top side encoder system 80B capable of measuring in parallel with the above measurement. When the above-described switching unit 150B is set to the first mode, main controller 20 causes second backside when wafer table WTB moves within the predetermined range in measurement station 300, for example, during alignment. Wafer table WTB is servo-driven based on the position information with the higher reliability out of the position information by encoder system 70B and the position information by second top side encoder system 80B.

Further, in the present embodiment, the first mode setting switching section 150B, the main controller 20, based on position information corresponding to the hybrid position signal F _H described above, the wafer table WTB, within the predetermined range As a result, the wafer table WTB is driven on the basis of the position information with higher reliability of the position information by the second backside encoder system 70B and the position information by the second topside encoder system 80B. Drive within the predetermined range. Therefore, the wafer table WTB can be driven with high accuracy within the predetermined range in the measurement station 300 based on position information that is always highly reliable.

  Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the main controller 20 causes the first backside encoder system 70A when the wafer table WTB moves within the predetermined range of the exposure station 200 during exposure or the like. The coordinate system refresh process is repeatedly performed at predetermined intervals, and the wafer W is exposed while the position of the wafer table WTB is managed on the coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A in which the grid error is always corrected. Is called. In addition, the main controller 20 determines the updated coordinate system of the first backside encoder system 70A from the relationship between the corresponding partial coordinate systems of the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside encoder system 80A. Based on the grid, a refresh of the coordinate system of the first top side encoder system 80A is performed by updating and updating the grid distortion of the coordinate system of the first top side encoder system 80A.

  Further, during the stream processing, the main controller 20 repeatedly performs the coordinate system refresh processing of the second backside encoder system 70B at a predetermined interval, and the coordinates of the second backside encoder system 70B in which the grid error is always corrected. While measuring the position of the wafer table WTB on the system, alignment measurement and focus mapping are performed. Similarly, the main control device 20 updates the grid distortion of the coordinate system of the second top side encoder system 80B by backward calculation based on the updated grid of the coordinate system of the second back side encoder system 70B. The coordinate system of the second top side encoder system 80B is refreshed.

  In addition, in order to refresh the coordinate system of the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B with high accuracy including high order components, the marks are arranged with an accurate positional relationship, and the surface flatness is extremely high. A high reference wafer is prepared, this reference wafer is mounted on the wafer table WTB, the position of the wafer table WTB is measured by the second backside encoder system 70B, and the wafer table WTB is moved in the XY plane to The wafer mark is measured by the primary alignment system AL1, and the unevenness of the reference wafer is measured by the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b), and the coordinate system of the second backside encoder system 70B, that is, the grid of the grating RG. Measurement (correction) including higher order components may be performed.This measurement may be performed at least once at the time of starting up the apparatus, theoretically, not on the entire surface of the wafer but on a partial area of the wafer. This is because data of higher-order components of the grid of the grating RG to be refreshed is obtained, and it is considered that the remaining area can be corrected by performing the refresh described above.

  Further, the above-described traverse check in which main controller 20 corrects errors between the coordinate system during alignment and the coordinate system during exposure by actually moving wafer stage WST in the X-axis direction based on error factors unique to stream processing. Is performed at a predetermined frequency (frequency as required).

  Further, the error factor parameters included in the wafer alignment result (EGA result) and the focus mapping result are calculated from the average of all data observed by the second top side encoder system 80B and the third top side encoder system 80C during the streaming process. Arithmetic processing that replaces the calculated corresponding parameter, that is, the post-stream processing described above is performed.

  As is clear from the above description, according to the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, a high level of immersion exposure using the step-and-scan method on the basis of the high-precision alignment result and the focus mapping result. Resolution exposure is performed with good overlay accuracy. Further, even if the wafer W to be exposed is, for example, a 450 mm wafer, the throughput can be maintained high. Specifically, in the exposure apparatus 100, the exposure process for a 450 mm wafer is equivalent to or more than the exposure process for a 300 mm wafer by the immersion scanner disclosed in the above-mentioned US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843. It can be realized with high throughput.

  In the above embodiment, since the chuck unit 120 is configured as described above, for example, during the exposure of the previous wafer, the next wafer is waited above the loading position LP in parallel with this, and the temperature is adjusted. Thus, as soon as wafer stage WST returns to loading position LP, the temperature-adjusted wafer can be loaded onto wafer table WTB. However, the configuration of the chuck unit 120 is not limited to the configuration described above. That is, the chuck unit 120 (Bernoulli chuck 124) has at least one of the above-described temperature control function, pre-alignment function, and deflection correction function (flattening function) in addition to, for example, only the transport function or the transport function. The configuration may be determined according to the type and number of functions added to the chuck unit 120 (Bernoulli chuck 124), and the configurations for realizing the four functions including the transfer function are the configurations described above. Not limited to. For example, when the next wafer is not waited above the loading position LP in parallel with the exposure of the previous wafer, the position of the wafer in the XY plane in the non-contact holding state by the chuck body 130 during the wait. It is not always necessary to provide a holding member such as the pair of support plates 128 for preventing the shift. Further, the chuck body 130 does not necessarily have a temperature control member such as the cool plate 123. For example, during the exposure of the previous wafer, if the next wafer is not waited above the loading position LP in parallel with this, the wafer is placed on a cool plate installed at a location other than the loading position LP until just before the other loading starts. This is because it may be sufficient to adjust the temperature. Further, since it is sufficient if the wafer can be aligned after loading, it is not always necessary to provide a measurement system that measures positional information of the wafer while the chuck body 130 holds the wafer.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the chuck body 130 has the Bernoulli chuck 124 made of a plate-like member having almost the same size as the cool plate 123. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of the Bernoulli chuck 124, a plurality of Bernoulli cups attached to the lower surface of the cool plate 123 directly or via a plate member may be provided. In this case, it is desirable that the plurality of Bernoulli cups be distributed over the entire surface of the cool plate 123, or at least in the central portion and the peripheral portion, and the main controller 20 blows and stops fluid (for example, air), In addition, it is desirable that the flow rate and / or flow rate of the fluid to be blown out can be adjusted individually or for each group (for example, for each group of the central portion and the peripheral portion). When the exposure apparatus includes the chuck unit 120 having the chuck main body 130 having such a configuration, the waiting at the loading position is performed so that deformation of the wafer W supported by the chuck main body 130 in a non-contact manner from above is suppressed. At the time of loading the wafer W onto the wafer holder (wafer table WTB), the flow rate and / or flow velocity of the fluid from at least a part of the plurality of Bernoulli cups of the chuck body 130 is set to support the normal wafer W. Different from the state, at least a part of the wafer W supported in a non-contact manner may be displaced in the vertical direction. Of course, even when the chuck body 130 has the same Bernoulli chuck 124 as in the above embodiment, the fluid ejected from the Bernoulli chuck 124 in order to suppress the deformation of the wafer W. Or the like may be different from the normal support state of the wafer W. In any case, in these cases, the wafer W in which the deformation is suppressed is held by the wafer holder (wafer table WTB).

  In the above embodiment, when the wafer W supported in a non-contact or contact state from above and below by the chuck body 130 and the three vertical movement pins 140 is placed on the wafer holder (wafer table WTB), the main controller 20 drives the chuck body 130 and the three vertical movement pins 140 downward. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the main controller 20 may drive the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) upward with respect to the chuck main body 130 and the three vertical movement pins 140. The three vertical movement pins 140 may be driven downward and the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) may be driven upward. In short, the main controller 20 determines that the chuck main body 130 and the three vertical movements of the chuck body 130 until the lower surface of the wafer W supported from above and below by the three vertical movement pins 140 contacts the wafer holder (wafer table WTB). The moving pin 140 and the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) may be relatively moved in the Z-axis direction. In this case, main controller 20 causes chuck body 130 and three vertical movement pins 140 and wafer holder (wafer table WTB) to move relative to each other in the Z-axis direction, so that wafer W comes into contact with wafer holder (wafer table WTB). The relative movement may be stopped immediately before contact, and the wafer W may be transferred to the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) only by controlling the chuck body 130.

  The main controller 20 also releases the support of the wafer W by one of the chuck body 130 (first support member) and the three vertical movement pins 140 (second support member) and supports the other. While the wafer W is supported by the member, the positional relationship between the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) and the wafer W is changed by moving the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) relative to the one support member and the other support member. The wafer W may be shifted, that is, the wafer W may be replaced. In particular, when the wafer W is replaced with the three vertical movement pins 140, the wafer W may be replaced while the suction is released, and the suction may be performed again. Further, by moving at least one of the chuck body 130, the three vertical movement pins 140, and the wafer table WTB (wafer stage WST), the relative positional relationship between the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) and the wafer W is adjusted. Also good.

  In the above embodiment, the main controller 20 uses the three imaging elements 129 to support the wafer W in a non-contact manner with the chuck body 130 before the wafer W is supported by the three vertical movement pins 140. It is also possible to detect a positional deviation and a rotation (θz rotation) error in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In this case, when adopting a configuration in which the position (including rotation) of the chuck body 130 in the XY plane can be adjusted by the driving unit 122, according to the detected positional deviation and rotation error, The position (including rotation) of the wafer W in the XY plane may be adjusted. Alternatively, a configuration in which the three vertical movement pins 140 are movable in the XY plane with respect to the wafer table WTB is adopted, and the main controller 20 determines that the three vertical movement pins 140 are in accordance with the detected positional deviation and rotation error. The position (including rotation) of the wafer W in the XY plane may be adjusted via the vertical movement pins 140. In this way, main controller 20 finely adjusts the position of wafer W before holding wafer W by the wafer holder (wafer table WTB).

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the three vertical movement pins 140 can be moved up and down integrally by the driving device 142 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the three vertical movement pins 140 may be individually movable up and down. In this case, when the wafer W supported in a non-contact or contact state from above and below by the chuck main body 130 and the three vertical movement pins 140 is placed on the wafer holder (wafer table WTB), the three vertical movements are performed. Even when a uniform pressing force is applied from the chuck body 130 to the entire surface of the wafer W by changing the timing of the vertical movement of the pins 140, the wafer W is attracted and held by the wafer holder from the opposite side. It is possible to start with a time difference toward the side. Or you may employ | adopt the structure which can adjust individually the pressing force (urging | biasing force) which presses each of the three vertical motion pins 140 to + Z direction. Also in this case, even when a uniform pressing force is applied to the entire surface of the wafer W from the chuck body 130, the wafer W is attracted and held by the wafer holder with a time difference from one side to the opposite side. Can be done. In any case, it is not necessary to incline the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) in the θx and / or θy directions.

  In the above-described embodiment, instead of the three vertical movement pins that can contact and support the wafer W, for example, one or more other wafers that support the wafer W in parallel with the chuck body 130 and can move up and down. A support member may be provided. The plurality of support members have a structure capable of supporting a part of the side surface of the wafer W, or a structure which supports the outer peripheral edge of the wafer W so as to be opened and closed from the side (and / or below) at a plurality of locations. Also good. This support member may be provided in the chuck unit 120 (Bernoulli chuck 124). The chuck member that supports the wafer W included in the chuck main body 130 in a non-contact manner is not limited to the Bernoulli chuck, and any member that can support the wafer W in a non-contact manner may be used. Therefore, for example, a vacuum preload type air bearing or the like can be used instead of or together with the Bernoulli chuck (or Bernoulli cup).

  In the above embodiment, main controller 20 performs chucking on wafer W so that wafer W held by the wafer holder (wafer table WTB) is substantially flattened, or deflection of wafer W is suppressed or prevented. It is good also as controlling at least one of the repulsive force and attractive force of the main body 130 (chuck member which it has).

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the case where the chuck | zipper main body 130 was isolate | separated with respect to the main frame BD by fixing the drive part 122 to the lower surface of the main frame BD via the anti-vibration member not shown was illustrated. . However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the chuck main body 130 may be separated from the main frame BD in a vibrational manner by attaching the driving unit 122 to the frame FL via a support member (not shown).

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the stream processing including alignment measurement and focus mapping is performed in a state where the liquid Lq does not touch any part of the wafer table WTB has been described. However, there may be a sequence in which the wafer table WTB and the measurement table MTB shift to the above-described contact or proximity when the alignment measurement is completed. In this case, for example, the focus mapping is completed at the time after the alignment measurement is completed. If not, the remaining focus mapping may be performed while maintaining the contact or proximity of both tables WTB and MTB. Even in such a case, the alignment measurement can be performed without the liquid Lq touching any part of the wafer table WTB. Therefore, the step movement of the wafer table WTB (wafer stage WST) during the alignment measurement is described above. Compared with the immersion scanner disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843 and the like, it can be performed in a shorter time.

  In the above embodiment, the unloading position UP1 is located on a straight line connecting the projection optical system PL and the measurement station 300 (primary alignment system AL1) in the Y-axis direction, and is on the −X side of the unloading position UP1. Although the case where the standby position UP2 is set has been described, the standby position UP2 is not necessarily set. However, when the alignment measurement is performed in a state where the liquid Lq does not touch any part of wafer table WTB, the unloading position does not necessarily have to be set at a position that satisfies the above positional relationship. .

  Further, the configuration of the unload device 170 described in the above embodiment is merely an example. For example, a plate-like support member is installed between the lower surface of one side of the frame FL and the lower surface of the other side so as not to interfere with the head portion, etc. A first unload slider made of a member having the same configuration as that of the wafer gripper 174 that can be moved up and down is provided at the loading position UP1, and a second unload slider may be configured by a robot arm or the like. In this case, the first unload slider raises the first unload slider after receiving the wafer from the vertical movement pins 140 on wafer stage WST. Then, the second unload slider receives the wafer from the first unload slider at the unloading position UP1 and waits at the standby position UP2, or transfers it to the transfer position with the transfer system. In the latter case, the standby position UP2 need not be set.

Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the case where the some alignment system AL1, AL2 _1- AL2 ₄ by which the detection area | region was arrange | positioned along the X-axis direction was provided in the measurement station 300, it is not restricted to this, The detection regions of the plurality of alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ may have different positions not only in the X-axis direction but also in the Y-axis direction. Alternatively, the measurement station 300 may be provided with only one mark detection system. Even in such a case, if the loading position, the measurement station, the unloading position, and the exposure station have the same positional relationship as in the above-described embodiment, for example, a wafer that holds the wafer W from the loading position toward the exposure station. The stage WST is moved along the Y-axis direction, and a plurality of marks on the wafer W are detected by the mark detection system at the measurement station 300 located on the movement path during the movement. Then, after the wafer held on wafer stage WST is exposed at exposure station 200, wafer stage WST moves from exposure station 200 to measurement station 300 before returning from exposure station 200 to the loading position along the Y-axis direction. The exposed wafer can be unloaded from wafer stage WST at the unloading position set in the path. In this case, a series of processes of loading (loading) a wafer onto wafer stage WST, detecting a mark on the wafer, exposing the wafer, and unloading the exposed wafer from wafer stage WST are performed in Y The wafer stage WST can be efficiently moved in a short time while the wafer stage WST is reciprocated from the loading position located away in the axial direction to the exposure station.

  In the above embodiment, the + X side half (or −X side half) is exposed in the order of the shot region from the + Y side to the −Y side in the −X side half (or + X side half) on the wafer W. However, the exposure order of the plurality of shot areas on the wafer W is not limited to this. After completion of exposure, when wafer table WTB is not moved to the unloading position in the shortest time (when it is not necessary or when the exposure position and the unloading position are separated and such movement is difficult) Etc.), a plurality of shot areas on the wafer W may be exposed in the same order as a conventional immersion scanner, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843. Or even if it is a case where it moves to unloading position UP1 in the shortest time after completion | finish of exposure, it is not restricted to the exposure order of the said embodiment. In short, it is only necessary that exposure is started from a predetermined first shot area far from the unloading position among a plurality of shot areas on the wafer, and a shot area in the vicinity of the first shot area is finally exposed.

Further, in the above embodiment, even when the measurement information (position information) by the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside encoder system 80A is switched depending on the situation, the switching method is the same as the above embodiment. Of course, the method is not limited to the method. The main controller 20 has a frequency band in which the reliability of the first backside encoder system 70A is lower than that of the first topside encoder system 80A due to vibration of the heads 73a to 73d (arm member 71 ₁ ) of the measuring arm 71A, for example, 50 Hz, for example. It is desirable to use position information measured at least by the first top side encoder system 80A for driving control of the wafer table WTB at least at a part of .about.500 Hz, particularly 100 Hz to 400 Hz. The reference for switching measurement information (position information) by the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside encoder system 80A is not limited to the frequency band of the output signal. Further, according to the above embodiment, the position measurement of the wafer table WTB can be performed in parallel by the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside encoder system 80A, so that one encoder system can be used alone, both systems Various usage methods according to the advantages and disadvantages of both, such as the combined use of the two, become possible. In short, the main controller 20 uses the coarse movement stage drive system 51A and / or the fine movement stage drive system based on position information measured by at least one of the first backside encoder system 70A and the first topside encoder system 80A. The driving of wafer table WTB by 52A may be controlled. The same applies to the second backside encoder system 70B and the second topside encoder system 80B that constitute the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B.

  In the hybrid control (the first mode of the switching units 150A, 150B, and 150C), the top-side encoder system and the back-side encoder system are specifically set to a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter having the same cut-off frequency according to vibration. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, without using a filter, a hybrid position signal obtained by weighting and adding the output signal of the top side encoder system and the output signal of the back side encoder system is used. May be. Further, the top side encoder system and the back side encoder system may be used separately or in combination depending on factors other than vibration. For example, in the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A, for example, only the backside encoder system 70A may be used during scanning exposure.

  In the above embodiment, the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B includes the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B. The measurement system for measuring the position of the table WTB may be only one of the second backside encoder system 70B and the second topside encoder system 80B, an encoder system having a completely different configuration, an interferometer system, or the like. It may be. Of course, in the case of only the second top side encoder system 80B, the coordinate system of the second top side encoder system 80B by the above-described sliding is not refreshed. Similarly, the measurement system for measuring the position of wafer table WTB in exposure station 200 may be only one of first backside encoder system 70A and first topside encoder system 80A, or has a completely different configuration. It may be an encoder system or an interferometer system.

In the above embodiment, first, second backside encoder system 70A, 70B is, measurement arm 71A having only a least part of the optical system of the encoder head arm member ₇₁ 1, which is built, 71 _2, respectively, 71B However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as a measurement arm, if a measurement beam can be irradiated from a portion facing the grating RG, for example, a light source, a photodetector, or the like is incorporated at the tip of the arm member. May be. In this case, it is not necessary to pass the aforementioned optical fiber through the arm member. Further, the outer shape and the cross-sectional shape of the arm member are not particularly limited, and the damping member is not necessarily required. The first, second backside encoder system 70A, 70B, even when the arm member ₇₁ 1, 71 ₂ to the light source and / or detector is not provided, the inside of the arm member ₇₁ 1, 71 ₂ You do not have to use

  Further, the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B are not necessarily provided with the measurement arm, and are disposed in the space of the coarse movement stage WCS so as to face the grating RG. It has a head that irradiates one measurement beam and receives light (reflected diffracted light) from the grating RG of the measurement beam. Based on the output of the head, position information in at least the XY plane of fine movement stage WFS is obtained. It would be enough if it could be measured.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B each include two three-dimensional heads, an XZ head, and a YZ head. Of course, it is not limited to. For example, even when the coordinate system is refreshed using the measurement values of the redundant axes, it is not necessary to set the degree of freedom that can be measured by the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B to 10 degrees of freedom. 7 or more, for example, 8 degrees of freedom. For example, two three-dimensional heads and only one of the XZ head and the YZ head may be provided. In this case, the arrangement and configuration of the head are not limited to those of the above embodiment. For example, the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B irradiate the grating RG with a plurality of measurement beams in order to measure position information of the wafer table WTB in the six degrees of freedom direction, and the plurality of measurement beams. That is, in order to measure position information of the wafer table WTB in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction, the grating RG may be irradiated with at least one measurement beam different from the plurality of measurement beams. In such a case, main controller 20 uses the positional information of wafer table WTB measured by first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B with the at least one different measurement beam, and uses a coordinate system similar to that described above. Information that compensates for measurement errors of the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B that are refreshed, that is, caused by the grating RG, can be updated.

  Further, for example, if the coordinate system refresh using the measurement value of the redundant axis is not performed, the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B provide positional information of the wafer table WTB in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction. Alternatively, a combination of heads capable of measuring only these may be used. For example, the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B may each include only two three-dimensional heads. In this case, if the two three-dimensional heads are arranged in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, position information in the direction of five degrees of freedom excluding the θx direction of wafer table WTB can be measured. Further, if the two three-dimensional heads are arranged so as to be shifted from each other with respect to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, it is possible to measure the position information of the wafer table WTB in the six degrees of freedom direction. In addition, each of the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B may include only a pair of XY heads arranged side by side in the X-axis direction. In this case, position information in the direction of three degrees of freedom in the XY plane of wafer table WTB can be measured. Further, the first and second backside encoder systems 70A and 70B may employ a head unit (optical system) including a Z head separately from the X head and / or the Y head.

  In the above embodiment, since the grating RG is arranged on the lower surface (back surface) of the fine movement stage WFS, the fine movement stage WFS can be made hollow to reduce the weight, and piping, wiring, etc. can be arranged inside the fine movement stage WFS. good. The reason is that since the measurement beam irradiated from the encoder head does not travel inside the fine movement stage WFS, the fine movement stage WFS does not need to be a solid member capable of transmitting light. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the fine movement stage WFS is a solid member capable of transmitting light, a grating may be disposed on the upper surface of the fine movement stage, that is, the surface facing the wafer. It may be formed on a wafer holder that holds In the latter case, even when the wafer holder expands during exposure or the mounting position with respect to the fine movement stage is shifted, the position of the wafer holder (wafer) can be measured following this.

  In addition, the configuration of the first to fourth top side encoder systems 80A to 80D in the above embodiment is not limited to that described in the above embodiment. For example, at least a part of the first to fourth top side encoder systems 80A to 80D includes a plurality of encoder head portions on the wafer table WTB as disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0227309. (Each encoder head unit can be configured, for example, in the same manner as the above-described four-axis head), and is opposed to the lattice unit (for example, a two-dimensional lattice or two-dimensionally arranged outside the wafer table WTB). You may employ | adopt the encoder system of the structure which arrange | positions a 1-dimensional grating | lattice part). In this case, the plurality of encoder head portions may be arranged at four corners of wafer table WTB, or on two diagonal lines intersecting at the center (center of the wafer holder) outside wafer table WTB. In each case, a pair of encoder head portions may be arranged with wafer table WTB interposed therebetween. In addition, for example, the grating unit is provided with four grating plates each having a two-dimensional grating formed on one fixing member (plate or the like), and the four grating plates are connected to the projection optical system PL (or the nozzle unit 32). The fixing member may be suspended and supported on the main frame BD by a supporting member including a flexure so as to be disposed around the main frame BD.

  In the above-described embodiment, fine movement stage WFS can be driven in all six-degree-of-freedom directions. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In this case, when fine movement stage WFS moves in a predetermined range in exposure station 200 (a range in exposure station 200 including at least a range in which fine movement stage WFS moves for exposure of wafer W held on wafer table WTB). In addition, the main controller 20 includes n degrees of freedom (n ≧ 3) including three degrees of freedom in the two-dimensional plane of the fine movement stage WFS based on, for example, measurement information obtained by a plurality of heads of the first backside encoder system 70A. While controlling the position of the direction, the fine movement stage WFS is driven, and the positional information used for driving the fine movement stage WFS with n degrees of freedom, part of the positional information related to a predetermined measurement direction, Based on a difference from redundant position information that is not used for driving n degrees of freedom of fine movement stage WFS with respect to a predetermined measurement direction. Te, it is also possible to update the grid errors relating to the predetermined measurement direction of the coordinate system of the first back-side encoder system 70A. In this case, the position of fine movement stage WFS in each of the X axis, Y axis, and θz directions of fine movement stage WFS can be measured, and the X axis of the coordinate system of first backside encoder system 70A can be measured using the redundant axis measurement values. Since it is only necessary to update the grid error in at least one direction of the Y axis and the Z axis, it is not necessary to provide all the heads 73a to 73d.

  Further, fine movement stage drive system 52A is not limited to the moving magnet type described above, but may be a moving coil type. Further, fine movement stage WFS may be supported in contact with coarse movement stage WCS. Therefore, the fine movement stage drive system that drives fine movement stage WFS with respect to coarse movement stage WCS may be, for example, a combination of a rotary motor and a ball screw (or feed screw).

  In the above embodiment, as the wafer stage position measurement system 16A, a Hall element sensor or an encoder system may be used instead of the interferometer system. In the above embodiment, the wafer stage position measurement system 16A that directly measures the position of the coarse movement stage WCS may not be provided. That is, in the above embodiment, the interferometer system may not be provided at all. In this case, it is desirable to provide a measurement system for measuring relative position information between coarse movement stage WCS and fine movement stage WFS.

  In the above embodiment, instead of the unloading position UP1 and the standby position UP2 set between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300, only the unloading position is changed to a position near the loading position LP, for example, loading. It may be set at the same Y position as the position LP and a predetermined distance away from the −X side. In this case, the unloading position may be set at the same position as the loading position LP. The loading position LP is not limited to the position where the reference mark FM on the measurement plate 30 described above is positioned in the field of view (detection region) of the primary alignment system AL1, for example, an unloading position and a reference axis. You may set to a symmetrical position about LV. Note that a single alignment system may be used as the alignment system. In that case, the unload position may be arranged on the −Y side with respect to the one alignment system.

In the above embodiment, a Hall element sensor, an encoder system, or the like may be used instead of the interferometer system as the measurement stage position measurement system 16B that measures the position of the measurement stage MST. In the latter case, for example, as shown in FIG. 39, for example, a two-dimensional grating RG2 is provided on the upper surface of the measurement table MTB, and a plurality of encoder heads are provided on the main frame BD via a support member so as to face the two-dimensional grating RG2. For example, a plurality of pairs of four-axis heads composed of a combination of an XZ head and a YZ head may be arranged along the movement path of the measurement stage MST. In FIG. 39, the pair of 4-axis heads 166 ₁ , 166 ₂ , the pair of 4-axis heads 166 ₃ , 166 _4, and the pair of 4-axis heads 166 ₅ , 166 ₆ are along the movement path of the measurement stage MST. Has been placed. These heads and the two-dimensional grating RG2 can be collectively referred to as a fifth top-side encoder system. By changing the arrangement (position) of the heads shown in FIG. 39 or adding at least one head, The position information of the measurement stage MST may be measured by the fifth top side encoder system during the scram operation. In this case, the measurement stage position measurement system 16B that directly measures the position of the measurement stage MST is not necessarily provided. In this case, it is desirable to provide a measurement system for measuring relative position information between the slider unit 60 and the support unit 62 of the measurement stage MST and the measurement table MTB.

  In each of the first and second embodiments, each backside encoder system is not limited to the configuration of the head unit described above, and may be arbitrary. Each top side encoder system may have any arrangement or number of heads.

  In the above embodiment, the immersion type exposure apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the exposure apparatus may be a dry type that exposes the wafer W without using liquid (water).

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the exposure apparatus is configured to support one fine movement stage with the coarse movement stage WCS and reciprocate between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200 has been described. A fine movement stage may be used. In this case, a configuration in which the two fine movement stages can be switched between the two coarse movement stages is added, and the two fine movement stages are alternately moved back and forth between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200. May be. Alternatively, three or more fine movement stages may be used. The exposure process for the wafer on one fine movement stage WFS and the above-described stream process using the other fine movement stage WFS can be performed in parallel. In this case, one of the two coarse movement stages may be movable only in the exposure station 200 and the other of the two coarse movement stages may be moved only in the measurement station 300.

  Alternatively, instead of the measurement stage MST, another wafer stage WST is provided as disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,341,007 and US Pat. No. 6,262,796. It may be provided. In this case, it is desirable to configure the other wafer stage (coarse movement stage) in such a shape that the measurement arm 71A can be engaged from the side. In this way, it is possible to perform parallel processing of the exposure processing on the wafer on one wafer stage and the above-described stream processing using the other wafer stage.

  Alternatively, another wafer stage WST may be provided. That is, a measurement stage MST and two wafer stages may be provided. Also in this case, it is possible to perform the parallel processing of the exposure process for the wafer on one fine movement stage WFS and the above-described stream process using the other fine movement stage WFS. In addition, after the exposure process on the wafer on one fine movement stage WFS is completed and before the exposure on the wafer on the other fine movement stage WFS is started, between the measurement table MTB and the projection optical system PL. Various measurements using the measurement member on the measurement table MTB can be performed while holding the liquid Lq. In this case, all the measurement operations using the plurality of measurement members (sensors) of the measurement stage MST need not be performed during replacement of one of the two wafer stages from the other. Some may be performed during replacement from one wafer stage to the other wafer stage, and the remaining measurements may be performed during replacement from the other wafer stage to one wafer stage.

  In the above-described embodiment, the measurement stage MST does not necessarily have the above-described various measurement members (sensors), and simply maintains an immersion area under the projection optical system PL instead of the wafer stage. You may use it only. In this case, at least a part of the various measurement members (sensors) described above may be provided on the wafer stage. In addition, in place of the measurement stage MST, a plate member capable of transferring the liquid immersion area to / from the wafer table WTB and holding the liquid in the liquid immersion area with the projection optical system PL, or a US patent application, for example. A stage similar to the auxiliary stage disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010/0159403 may be provided.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the exposure apparatus is a scanning stepper has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the above embodiment may be applied to a stationary exposure apparatus such as a stepper. The above-described embodiment can also be applied to a step-and-stitch reduction projection exposure apparatus that synthesizes a shot area and a shot area.

  Further, the projection optical system in the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment may be not only a reduction system but also any of the same magnification and enlargement systems, and the projection optical system PL may be any of a reflection system and a catadioptric system as well as a refractive system. The projected image may be an inverted image or an erect image.

The illumination light IL is not limited to ArF excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm), but may be ultraviolet light such as KrF excimer laser light (wavelength 248 nm) or vacuum ultraviolet light such as F ₂ laser light (wavelength 157 nm). good. For example, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,023,610, single-wavelength laser light in the infrared region or visible region oscillated from a DFB semiconductor laser or fiber laser is used as vacuum ultraviolet light, for example, erbium. A harmonic which is amplified by a fiber amplifier doped with (or both erbium and ytterbium) and wavelength-converted into ultraviolet light using a nonlinear optical crystal may be used.

  In the above embodiment, it is needless to say that the illumination light IL of the exposure apparatus is not limited to light having a wavelength of 100 nm or more, and light having a wavelength of less than 100 nm may be used. For example, the above embodiment can be applied to an EUV exposure apparatus that uses EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) light in a soft X-ray region (for example, a wavelength region of 5 to 15 nm). In addition, the above embodiment can be applied to an exposure apparatus that uses charged particle beams such as an electron beam or an ion beam.

  In the above-described embodiment, a light transmission mask (reticle) in which a predetermined light-shielding pattern (or phase pattern / dimming pattern) is formed on a light-transmitting substrate is used. Instead of this reticle, For example, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,778,257, an electronic mask (variable shaping mask, which forms a transmission pattern, a reflection pattern, or a light emission pattern based on electronic data of a pattern to be exposed, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,778,257. For example, a non-light emitting image display element (spatial light modulator) including a DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) may be used. When such a variable molding mask is used, the stage on which the wafer or glass plate is mounted is scanned with respect to the variable molding mask, and the position of this stage is determined by the first and second fine movement stage position measurement systems described above. By measuring using 110A and 110B, an effect equivalent to that of the above embodiment can be obtained.

  Further, as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2001/035168, an exposure apparatus (lithography system) that forms a line-and-space pattern on a wafer W by forming interference fringes on the wafer W. The above embodiment can also be applied.

  Further, as disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,611,316, two reticle patterns are synthesized on a wafer via a projection optical system, and 1 on the wafer by one scan exposure. The above embodiment can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that performs double exposure of two shot areas almost simultaneously.

  In the above embodiment, the object on which the pattern is to be formed (the object to be exposed to which the energy beam is irradiated) is not limited to the wafer, but may be another object such as a glass plate, a ceramic substrate, a film member, or a mask blank. good.

  The use of the exposure apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing, but for example, an exposure apparatus for liquid crystal that transfers a liquid crystal display element pattern to a square glass plate, an organic EL, a thin film magnetic head, an image sensor (CCD, etc.), micromachines, DNA chips and the like can also be widely applied to exposure apparatuses. Further, in order to manufacture reticles or masks used in not only microdevices such as semiconductor elements but also light exposure apparatuses, EUV exposure apparatuses, X-ray exposure apparatuses, electron beam exposure apparatuses, etc., glass substrates or silicon wafers, etc. The above embodiment can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that transfers a circuit pattern.

  An electronic device such as a semiconductor element includes a step of designing a function / performance of a device, a step of manufacturing a reticle based on the design step, a step of manufacturing a wafer from a silicon material, and an exposure apparatus (pattern formation) according to the above-described embodiment. Apparatus) and a lithography step for transferring a mask (reticle) pattern onto the wafer by the exposure method, a development step for developing the exposed wafer, and an etching step for removing the exposed member other than the portion where the resist remains by etching It is manufactured through a resist removal step for removing a resist that has become unnecessary after etching, a device assembly step (including a dicing process, a bonding process, and a packaging process), an inspection step, and the like. In this case, in the lithography step, the exposure method described above is executed using the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment, and a device pattern is formed on the wafer. Therefore, a highly integrated device can be manufactured with high productivity.

  Further, the exposure apparatus (pattern forming apparatus) of each of the above embodiments maintains various mechanical subsystems including the respective constituent elements recited in the claims of the present application so as to maintain predetermined mechanical accuracy, electrical accuracy, and optical accuracy. It is manufactured by assembling. In order to ensure these various accuracies, before and after assembly, various optical systems are adjusted to achieve optical accuracy, various mechanical systems are adjusted to achieve mechanical accuracy, and various electrical systems are Adjustments are made to achieve electrical accuracy. The assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus includes mechanical connection, electrical circuit wiring connection, pneumatic circuit piping connection and the like between the various subsystems. Needless to say, there is an assembly process for each subsystem before the assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus. When the assembly process of the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus is completed, comprehensive adjustment is performed to ensure various accuracies as the entire exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus is preferably manufactured in a clean room where the temperature, cleanliness, etc. are controlled.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Main control apparatus, 52A ... Fine movement stage drive system, 71A ... Measurement arm, 73a, 73b ... Three-dimensional head, 73c ... XZ head, 73d ... YZ head, 100 ... Exposure apparatus, 110A ... First fine movement stage position measurement system , 120 ... chuck unit, 116 ... signal processing system, 123 ... cool plate, 124 ... Bernoulli chuck, 128 ... support plate, 129 ... imaging device, 130 ... chuck body, 140 ... vertical movement pin, 132 ... wafer transfer arm BD ... main frame, IL ... illumination light, RG ... grating, WCS ... coarse movement stage, PL ... projection optical system, W ... wafer, WFS ... fine movement stage, WTB ... wafer table.

Claims (20)

An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with illumination light through an optical system,
A stage having a holder for holding the substrate;
A support system capable of supporting the substrate from its surface side in a non-contact manner, and a transport system for transporting the substrate to a loading position set apart from the optical system;
A driving device that relatively moves the support member and the holder at least in the vertical direction at the loading position where the stage is disposed;
A controller that controls the transport system and the driving device so that the substrate is transported from the transport system to the holder via the support member;
The transport system is controlled by the controller, can hold the substrate supported in a non-contact manner by the support member at a portion different from the surface thereof, and can release the contact hold when the substrate is carried into the holder. An exposure apparatus further comprising a holding member that can move up and down independently of the support member. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1,
An exposure apparatus in which at least one of deformation control, temperature adjustment, and pre-alignment of the substrate is performed by the transport system. In the exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
An exposure apparatus in which deformation of the substrate is controlled by controlling at least one of repulsive force and attractive force of the support member with respect to the substrate. In the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The support member includes a chuck member that holds the substrate in a non-contact manner, and a temperature adjustment member of the substrate,
An exposure apparatus in which the temperature of the substrate is adjusted by the temperature adjusting member while being supported in a non-contact manner by the chuck member. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
The chuck member is an exposure apparatus including a Bernoulli chuck that utilizes the Bernoulli effect. In the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Further comprising a measurement system for measuring the positional information of the substrate,
An exposure apparatus in which positional information of the substrate is measured by the measurement system before the substrate is held by the holder. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
An exposure apparatus in which a relative positional relationship between the substrate and the holder is adjusted based on positional information of the substrate measured by the measurement system. In the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The exposure apparatus includes a transport member that transports the substrate below the support member. In the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
Another support member provided on the stage and supported by the support member in a non-contact manner can be supported from below, and can be moved up and down relative to the holder independently of the support member. Prepared,
The drive device is capable of relatively moving the other support member and the holder in the vertical direction,
The controller is an exposure apparatus that controls the driving device. The exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
The controller controls the driving device while maintaining the support state of the substrate by the support member and the support state of the substrate by the another support member, and supports the substrate until the lower surface of the substrate contacts the holder. An exposure apparatus that relatively moves a member, the other support member, and the holder in a vertical direction. A device manufacturing method comprising:
Exposing the substrate by the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
Developing the exposed substrate. A device manufacturing method comprising: An exposure method for exposing a substrate with illumination light through an optical system,
Arranging a stage having a holder for holding the substrate at a loading position set apart from the optical system;
Under the control of the controller , supporting the substrate from the surface side thereof in a non-contact manner by a support member above the stage;
Under the control of the controller, a substrate supported in a non-contact manner by the support member is contacted and held by a holding member that can move up and down independently of the support member at a portion different from the surface thereof;
Under the control of the controller, after the contact holding by the holding member is released, the support member and the holder are relatively moved at least in the vertical direction so that the substrate supported in a non-contact manner by the support member is transported to the holder. And an exposure method comprising: The exposure method according to claim 12, wherein
An exposure method in which at least one of deformation control, temperature adjustment, and pre-alignment of the substrate is performed by a transport system of the substrate having the support member. The exposure method according to claim 12 or 13,
An exposure method in which deformation of the substrate is controlled by controlling at least one of repulsive force and attractive force of the support member with respect to the substrate. The exposure method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein
An exposure method in which the temperature of the substrate is adjusted while being supported in a non-contact manner by the support member. In the exposure method as described in any one of Claims 12-15,
An exposure method in which positional information of the substrate is measured before the substrate is held by the holder, and a relative positional relationship between the substrate and the holder is adjusted based on the measured positional information. In the exposure method according to any one of claims 12 to 16,
An exposure method in which the substrate is transported below the support member by a transport member different from the support member. In the exposure method according to any one of claims 12 to 17,
Prior to release of contact holding by the holding member, a substrate supported in a non-contact manner by the support member is provided on the stage and can be moved up and down relatively with respect to the holder independently of the support member. Supporting from below using another support member,
An exposure method further comprising: relatively moving the another support member and the holder in the vertical direction. The exposure method according to claim 18, wherein
In the relative movement, the supporting member is separated from the supporting member until the lower surface of the substrate contacts the holder while maintaining the supporting state of the substrate by the supporting member and the supporting state of the substrate by the another supporting member. An exposure method of relatively moving the support member and the holder in the vertical direction. A device manufacturing method comprising:
Exposing the substrate by the exposure method according to any one of claims 12 to 19,
Developing the exposed substrate. A device manufacturing method comprising:

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